The San Francisco 49ers are facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the NFL playoffs, and it's far from an easy draw for the 49ers.
While the Eagles' offense is far from a high-octane unit, their defense is stellar, and if the 49ers enter the matchup with their Week 18 offense, a win will be tough to come by.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell predicts that the 49ers will lose to the Eagles, thanks largely to the presence, or lackthereof, of Trent Williams for the 49ers. With the Eagles set to get Lane Johnson back, the 49ers need their standout tackle to return to have a fighting chance.
49ers predicted to lose to Eagles if Trent Williams is out
"I have my concerns about the Eagles, but the tackles are enough to decide this one for me," Barnwell writes. "It looks like the Eagles will have Johnson and the 49ers won't have Williams, and if that's the case, it'll be tough for the 49ers to overcome yet another critical absence."
The 49ers being without Williams in this matchup would be a huge blow, and for Barnwell, would be the deciding factor in which team he believes will win.
But, just as Barnwell is predicting the 49ers to lose if Williams is out, if he's active, then things change differently.
Having Williams on the field would be a massive deal. The future Hall of Fame tackle is an integral part of the team, and getting him back is a huge deal.
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As of Thursday afternoon, while he's practicing, there is still doubt over whether he'll play, and if so, how healthy he actually will be.
This Eagles-49ers game is one of the more fascinating of the first round of the playoffs, and the 49ers desperately need their offensive tackle back to have a decent chance of winning this weekend.
Barnwell doesn't believe Williams' being out gives the 49ers much of a chance, as his absence, combined with the other injuries, would be too much to overcome.
But he has a chance to play. If Williams can suit up for San Francisco, then the Eagles' matchup would be one a lot more feasible to win.
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