The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history after a dominant NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, who were hampered by injuries to Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson.

A big 31-7 victory was never really in doubt as the luckless 49ers dealt with yet more injury misfortune in the biggest game of their season.

Already without quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, surprise rookie star Purdy – the final pick in the 2022 draft – left the game at the end of the team's opening drive after a Haason Reddick strip sack saw his right elbow injured.

Johnson unconvincingly came in for Purdy, only to be ruled out after his head hit the ground and he was checked for a concussion. Purdy returned but was clearly limited, seemingly unable to throw the ball as the 49ers' season ended in frustrating fashion.

Miles Sanders had wandered straight up the middle for the opening touchdown, but the 49ers then kept the Eagles in check following Purdy's injury and levelled the game via a remarkable 23-yard Christian McCaffrey TD as he ran through a series of tackles.

The contrast of those two scores epitomised the game for these two teams, however, and Sanders again found a gap to restore the Eagles' lead.

Boston Scott ran in another and, with Purdy repeatedly handing the ball off to a stifled 49er rushing offense, Jalen Hurts also forced his way into the endzone to build an unassailable lead.

Early chaos benefits Eagles

No team scored more points on their opening offensive possessions in the regular season than the Eagles, but the drive that led to Sanders' early TD set in motion a manic first quarter. It included a 29-yard pass for a fourth down conversion that replays showed Devonta Smith appeared to drop. That was not spotted until after play resumed.

The 49ers had already seen Fred Warner take a trip to the blue tent, and Purdy's injury was not their last of the quarter as Nick Bosa was wiped out on the sideline. Meanwhile, Johnson came in for Purdy and was likewise promptly run over by the relentless Reddick.

An unforgettable quarter ended with the Eagles claiming – unsuccessfully – a punt had hit an overhead wire. The 49ers started the second quarter with the ball, their fourth-string QB and a 7-0 deficit.

Running to the Super Bowl

The 49ers paid the price both for their injuries and a sequence of understandably frustrated penalties, but there was also a complete mismatch in the run game.

While this should have been a close call between the Eagles' most successful run offense and the 49ers' second-most successful run defense, four TDs on the ground saw Philly set a single-season record across the regular season and postseason, improving to 39 rushing scores for the year.

This year's NFL conference championships have provided a fascinating line-up of potential Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.

In the AFC Championship Game, Patrick Mahomes is hosting Joe Burrow in a repeat of last year's matchup, with both men having already been to the big game.

Meanwhile, in the NFC, Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy have each played just two postseason games, green enough both to provoke excitement and concern in equal measure.

Three of these QBs were confirmed as MVP candidates this week, with Purdy the obvious exception as 'Mr Irrelevant', enjoying a fairytale story that would surpass just about any other.

So, which of the four is best placed heading into this weekend, and who can expect to be playing in Arizona in two weeks' time?

Brock Purdy, 49ers @ Eagles

It is safe to say Purdy did not expect to be playing in this game when he was selected with the final pick of the 2022 draft.

Injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo have catapulted the rookie into the spotlight, and he has not disappointed, winning his first seven starts to extend the 49ers' streak to 12 straight victories – a team's longest sequence entering a conference championship since the undefeated New England Patriots in 2007.

Purdy, at 22, will become the youngest QB to start a game at this stage of the season since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, while he is only the fourth to do so having started five or fewer regular season games.

But given this inexperience, Purdy is the one remaining QB who likely will not be handed complete control of the offense, instead asked simply to consistently put the ball in the hands of the 49ers' outstanding skill players.

Christian McCaffrey, like Purdy, has won every start since joining the 49ers in a mid-season trade from the Carolina Panthers, scoring an offensive touchdown in each of his past eight – one shy of both Ezekiel Elliott's 2022-best streak of nine.

Since his first start, McCaffrey ranks third in the NFL for offensive touches (234); since Purdy's first start, he ranks first (136).

Even with McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel each highly effective targets through the air, the 49ers have shifted their focus to the run game with Purdy under center.

They have run the ball on 50.1 per cent of plays since Purdy's first start, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL and the highest of any team who made the playoffs. Prior to Week 14, that figure was 43.2 per cent.

It is unlikely the 49ers move away from that now against an elite defense that leads the league by a considerable margin in sacks (75), sack yards (517) and sack rate (10.7 per cent).

Purdy may need McCaffrey and Co. to carry him through this round, but a Super Bowl appearance would only encourage those Tom Brady 2001 comparisons.

Jalen Hurts, Eagles vs 49ers

Hurts' appearance on this stage is clearly not as surprising as Purdy's, but few could have foreseen the Eagles QB as the Goliath to his opponent's David back when the season began.

The third-year star has delivered on his potential in 2022.

Hurts' ability to run with the ball was never in question, and this year his 14 rushing TDs rank third among all players, with Josh Allen his nearest rival at QB on a comparatively meagre eight.

But there has crucially been progress in the passing game as Hurts posted career-best marks by just about every metric in the regular season – 66.5 completion percentage, 3,701 passing yards, 22 passing TDs, 1.3 interception percentage and a passer rating of 101.5.

Last week, in the Eagles' playoff opener against the New York Giants, he threw two TD passes and zero picks for a rating of 112.2.

Having missed two games and two Eagles defeats, Hurts heads into the NFC Championship Game with a 15-1 record as a starter this year, no doubt confident of improving that mark further against the 49ers.

In an intriguing battle that pits the league's best run offense (47.0 per cent success rate) versus its second-best run defense (32.1 per cent), Hurts can provide the X-factor.

The 49ers have shown few signs of weakness this year but did so against Marcus Mariota, another running QB, whose Atlanta Falcons ran the ball on 69.6 per cent of plays in Week 6 and were successful 43.6 per cent of the time.

The Eagles will have been watching the tape from that matchup to give Hurts the best possible chance to find joy against an otherwise fearsome defense.

Joe Burrow, Bengals @ Chiefs

Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton dubbed the Chiefs' home stadium, so terrifying for so many visiting teams, "Burrowhead" as Cincinnati prepared for their return in the AFC Championship Game.

Burrow went into Arrowhead last year and got the better of Mahomes, leading the Bengals to a third conference championship win in three attempts all-time.

Although the Los Angeles Rams then defeated the Bengals in the Super Bowl, Burrow has continued to show himself to be the man for the big occasion, taking down the much-fancied Buffalo Bills last week.

He has won five of his first six playoff starts, with only Brady (7-0), Russell Wilson (6-1) and Mahomes (6-1) winning six of their first seven since 1995.

So calm and composed, Burrow is an outstanding passer, ranking second in the league with his 68.2 completion percentage this year and third with his 85.9 well-thrown percentage.

His problem has long been a lack of protection from the Bengals' offensive line, with Burrow taking a league-leading 148 sacks since his debut season in 2020 – a campaign that was cut short by ACL and MCL tears sustained in one hit.

But Burrow took just one sack against the Bills, and the Bengals are consistently doing a better job in giving their QB time to make the pass – albeit with his help.

The Bengals have allowed a pressure rate of just 32.4 per cent this year, the fourth-best in the NFL, as Burrow has taken just 2.46 seconds to release the ball, the fifth-fastest average among QBs with 100 attempts.

It is Burrow's ability to work this quickly while maintaining a league-low pickable pass percentage of 1.53 that cuts him out as a star capable of again going to Kansas City and withstanding all they throw at him.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs vs Bengals

Mahomes is the one man who cannot be planned for. If he is on his game, there is surely no stopping the Chiefs superstar.

Happily for the Bengals, he was a long way from the Mahomes everyone knows in the second half of last year's AFC Championship Game, and his hopes of performing at peak level will be limited by injury this week.

A high ankle sprain would rule out just about any other QB, but Mahomes, no doubt determined to put right what went so wrong last year, is set to play.

Mahomes completed only eight of 18 passes after halftime in the Chiefs' 2021 defeat, throwing two interceptions for a remarkable passer rating of 12.3.

That was the sixth-lowest rating in the second half of a playoff game this century – not the sort of company the best QB in football is used to keeping.

But that passer rating in the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, when Mahomes was playing with an injury, was up at 110.7.

Even as he hobbled around the field, Mahomes was able to finish a fourth postseason game with a completion percentage above 70.0 (72.3) and multiple TD passes.

Only four players – Brady (six), Drew Brees (six), Troy Aikman (five) and Joe Montana (five) – have had more such performances. Mahomes has played just 12 playoff games in his career.

If that is the sort of form the Bengals can expect to find Mahomes in this week, with revenge on his mind, all the focus on that ankle might count for very little.

The San Francisco 49ers know all about playing on this stage, but Brock Purdy most definitely does not.

The Niners visit the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, their record 18th appearance in the conference championship in the Super Bowl era.

Yet they will do so with the youngest starting quarterback in a conference championship since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.

And 22-year-old Purdy – 'Mr Irrelevant' in the 2022 draft – might have feared the prospect of facing a fierce Eagles defense this week as key team-mates Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel managed injuries.

Losing either player would represent a huge blow to Purdy and the 49ers; losing both is unthinkable.

Fortunately, coach Kyle Shanahan has continued to speak with optimism of their chances of playing in Philadelphia, while McCaffrey added on Thursday there was "zero" chance of him missing this game.

On the other side of the field, the Eagles, who go into the game rated as narrow favourites, know a thing or two about playing without their leading stars.

QB Jalen Hurts missed two weeks towards the end of the season with a shoulder injury but was able to return in time to hit the ground running in the postseason.

The number one seeds in the NFC showed exactly why they are that by beating the New York Giants 38-7 in the Divisional round last week.

That tied the Eagles' biggest ever playoff win, which had come by the same scoreline in their previous NFC Championship Game appearance against the Minnesota Vikings. After that victory, they defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

Given the strength of the two defenses, this matchup should be a little closer – although perhaps not as close as the last time Hurts met Purdy.

Hurts' Oklahoma held off a comeback from Purdy's Iowa State for a 42-41 win in the 2019 college season.

That remains the only game in the past 10 seasons between Power 5 QBs in which both threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 50 yards and a TD.

Star San Francisco 49ers' running backs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell sat out Wednesday's practice session while Deebo Samuel was limited ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

McCaffrey was absent with a calf contusion while Mitchell missed out with a groin issue. Samuel was set to sit out the session with an ankle injury but participated in individual drills and was later listed as limited.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said there were no guarantees that the trio would be available for Sunday's game, although he expressed confidence.

"I expect them to but there's no guarantees, especially with it being the NFC Championship Game," Shanahan told reporters.

"I think there's a better chance they'll be ready since there's nothing guaranteed after this. So, hopefully. We'll keep our fingers crossed."

On Samuel's ankle injury, Shanahan added: "It's been there for a little bit. I think it'll be alright but it concerned us enough to not let him go today."

All-Pro receiver Samuel, who had two receiving touchdowns from 56 receptions for 632 yards along with three rushing touchdowns in the regular season, was bullish that he would be available to play.

"It's just kind of sore," Samuel said. "We're just being cautious and just trying to get ready for Sunday."

Shanahan also said defensive lineman Charles Omenihu was in line to play despite his arrest on suspicion of misdemeanour domestic violence on Monday.

"We're letting the legal process take care of itself so if he's healthy, he'll play this week," Shanahan said.

The Niners take on the Eagles in Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Three of the four quarterbacks who have led their teams to their conference's championship game have been named finalists for the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award.

Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts and Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow are among the five finalists announced on Wednesday.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson were also tabbed as finalists.

Mahomes, the current betting favourite to win the honour for the second time in his career, Hurts and Jefferson are also finalists for Offensive Player of the Year along with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

The 2018 NFL MVP led the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes while helping the Chiefs to an AFC-best 14-3 record. Top-seeded Kansas City will host Burrow's Bengals in the conference title game on Sunday.

Hurts compiled 3,701 passing yards, 760 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns to lead the Eagles to a 14-3 record and the NFC's No. 1 seed. Philadelphia will host a San Francisco 49ers team guided by quarterback Brock Purdy, one of three finalists for Offensive Rookie of the Year, in Sunday's conference championship.

Purdy, the final pick of the 2022 draft who has gone 7-0 since replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, is joined by Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker and New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson as finalists.

San Francisco's stout defence was also represented with end Nick Bosa one of three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year. Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, the runner-up for the award last season, and Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones are also up for the honour.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was also named a finalist for NFL Coach of the Year along with the New York Giants' Brian Daboll and Jacksonville Jaguars' Doug Pederson, both of whom directed their teams to playoff appearances in their first seasons.

San Francisco garnered two other award finalists in running back Christian McCaffrey and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. McCaffrey joins Giants running Saquon Barkley and Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith as candidates for Comeback Player of the Year, while Ryans is a finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year.

Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are the other Assistant Coach of the Year finalists.

The Defensive Rookie of the Year award will go to either Jets cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson or Seahawks corner Tariq Woolen.

All of this season's winners will be announced at the NFL Honors event in Phoenix on February 9, three days before Super Bowl LVII will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizozna.

Voting was conducted before the start of the playoffs by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanour domestic violence on Monday only days out from Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The San Jose Police Department confirmed the arrest after an incident on Monday where officers were called after a woman reported her boyfriend, Omenihu, pushed her to the ground during an argument.

Omenihu was booked at the Santa Clara County jail and served with a restraining order. The 25-year-old was released after posting bail.

"Officers did not observe any visible physical injuries to the survivor, she did, however, have a complaint of pain to her arm," investigators said.

Omenihu, who played 15 snaps in Sunday's 19-12 Divisional Round Game win over the Dallas Cowboys, has been a key part of the 49ers' defensive unit in 2022, with 4.5 sacks this season – the third-most on the team.

"We are aware of the matter involving Charles Omenihu and are in the process of gathering further information," the 49ers said in a statement.

Running back Saquon Barkley reiterated his desire to stay with the New York Giants after their Divisional Round defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Giants were well beaten by the Eagles, who progressed with a 38-7 victory at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday.

Barkley recorded 10 touchdowns in the regular season, but made just nine carries for 61 yards against Philadelphia.

After a strong season for him and the Giants though, the 25-year-old said he wants to stay with the franchise "for life" despite his contract expiring this year.

"I don't want to jump to any conclusions. I've been vocal about how I feel and where I want to be," he said. "That's outside my control. I wanted to show the Giants, show them that the guy that they drafted is still here. I hope I did that.

"Everyone knows I would love to be a Giant for life, but I really can't give a 100 per cent answer. It's out of my control. Sometime this week, I'll get a conversation with my agent Kim [Miale] and see what's up.

"The way we played for each other this year, it was special. Obviously, it didn't end the way we would have wanted it to end. Not just because of the record or because we made it to the playoffs, this is probably one of my favourite teams of all time."

Quarterback Daniel Jones – who was sacked five times in Philadelphia – also sees his deal run out at the end of the season, and was less certain about his future intentions than Barkley.

"We will cross that bridge when we get there. I really enjoyed playing here," Jones said. "I appreciate all of those guys in the locker room. It is a special group of guys and I have really enjoyed being a part of it.

"We will figure out where that goes, but I have nothing but love and respect for this organisation and the group of guys in the locker room."

Coach Brian Daboll showed respect to the Eagles for their performance, admitting his team just second-best in every area of the contest.

"Give Philly credit. They did everything better than we did [Saturday]," Daboll said. "Tough game. We really got beat in all facets, so it wasn't one thing in particular. It was a team game, and we just didn't get it done. Congratulations to Philly. They get to move on, and unfortunately we don't."

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has compared quarterback Jalen Hurts to Michael Jordan after his stirring performance in their 38-7 romp of the New York Giants on Saturday.

The Eagles crushed the Giants to qualify for their seventh NFC Championship Game since 2000, which is the most in the NFC during that period.

Hurts threw two first-quarter touchdowns before a second-quarter rushing TD, with the contest all but settled 28-0 at half-time.

That came in the Eagles' QB's second game back since missing two with a shoulder injury on his throwing arm sustained on December 18, which Sirianni said gave the team an emotional lift similar to Chicago Bulls great Jordan.

"I know this is high praise, but to have him out there is like having – I shouldn't even go there – it's like having Michael Jordan out there," Sirianni told reporters.

"He's your leader. He's your guy. Hopefully, that's the biggest respect I can pay to him, comparing his ability to being on the field to a Michael Jordan-type. This guy leads.

"He brings this calmness to the entire team. He plays great football. He's as tough as they come. To me, nobody has played any better football than him this year."

Hurts completed 16 of 24 passes for 154 yards and two passing touchdowns, along with rushing nine times for 34 yards with one TD.

When asked how the shoulder felt after the game, Hurts told ESPN: "I never really was in a situation to test it. Fortunate to come out clean. I'm in a good place."

The Eagles progressed to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2017. That comes after an outstanding regular season for the top seed, who finished 14-3.

"We had a lot of hunger built up in us," Hurts said. "I think we were just starving and eager for our opportunity to come out here and play.

"This is a division opponent, they're a really good team. They had a lot of momentum going. We just wanted to come out and play our best ball.

"I think we chose the right time to do that. We were very efficient on both sides of the ball. We scored early and often. We just want to keep it going. We want to be consistent."

The Eagles will take on the winner of Sunday's Dallas Cowboys-San Francisco 49ers Divisional Round clash in the NFC Championship Game.

Jalen Hurts answered any questions about his health with a perfect two-touchdown first quarter as the Philadelphia Eagles outclassed the New York Giants 38-7 in Saturday's NFC Divisional Round game.

The NFC top seeded Eagles opened up a 28-0 halftime lead and never looked threatened by the Giants, who they beat twice during the regular season, at Lincoln Financial Field.

The win means the Eagles progress to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2017 when they won Super Bowl LII.

Eagles QB Hurts, who missed two late regular-season games with a shoulder injury on his throwing arm, threw touchdowns for Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith in the first quarter.

Hurts went seven-of-seven for 89 yards in a stunning opening period, where Haason Reddick had sacks on back-to-back plays, forcing a turnover on downs, while ex-Giants cornerback James Bradberry intercepted Daniel Jones' pass.

Midway through the second, running back Boston Scott maintained his remarkable record against the Giants, scoring his 11th of 19 career touchdowns against them.

Hurts, who made 760 yards from 165 rushes during the regular season, got in on the act with a running TD before halftime.

Giants running back Matt Breida ran in a third-quarter TD, before Kenneth Gainwell brought up 100 rushing yards in style in the fourth quarter, with the Eagles' fifth touchdown. Gainwell had 112 yards on 12 carries, while Miles Sanders added 90 yards on 17 carries, with the Eagles totaling 268 rushing yards for the game.

Hurts completed 16 of 24 passes for 154 yards while rushing nine times for 34 yards, while opposition counterpart Jones threw 15 of 27 attempts for 135 yards with no TDs and one interception. Saquon Barkley was restricted to only 61 yards on nine carries.

An NFC East rivalry clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants in the Divisional Round might seem set to be one-sided.

The Eagles won both of their games against the Giants in the regular season.

A series sweep for the first time in three seasons boosted a dominant record for the Eagles against the Giants in recent history, having won 20 of 26 meetings since 2010.

However, they have never beaten a team three times in the same season.

Playoff encounters between the Eagles and the Giants are split down the middle with two wins each. The last such encounter came in the 2008 Divisional Round, which saw Philadelphia become the first sixth seed in the NFC to defeat the top seed.

When coming off a bye in the Divisional Round against a team who played in the Wild Card round, the Eagles stand 3-0 and are 5-0 at home in this stage of the playoffs all-time – the best record for any side in NFL history.

In a bid to continue that run, Jalen Hurts will look wide to inflict damage upon the Giants, with 65.4 per cent (200) of the quarterback's 306 completions this season being to wide receivers – of QBs with at least 250 completions this season, only the Miami Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa had a higher percentage (72.2).

The Eagles also possess a giant killer on the ground. Running back Boston Scott has scored a touchdown in all eight of his career appearances against the Giants (10 total), tied for the third-longest such streak against New York in the league.

While all of that will be a concern to the Giants, they enter the encounter with an impressive run of results away from home in the playoffs.

Victory in Minnesota against the Vikings in the Wild Card round secured the Giants' sixth triumph in seven road playoff games dating back to the 2007 season, with only the Baltimore Ravens (eight) having more postseason road wins in that time.

Daniel Jones enters the game on the back of a stellar performance, throwing for 301 yards and rushing for 75 against the Vikings to become the third player all-time to have at least 300 yards in the air and 75 on the ground in a playoff game, joining Lamar Jackson and Steve Young.

Jones' aerial tally against the Vikings was his third-highest this season, behind 341 yards in Week 11 against the Detroit Lions and 334 yards against Minnesota in Week 16.

However, it was the only game of the three where the Giants emerged victorious.

While hitting such numbers against the Eagles could well be too much to ask, Jones will certainly need to improve upon his total of 169 from Week 14 against Philadelphia – his third-lowest tally on the season.

Jalen Hurts knows the "job isn't finished" for the Philadelphia Eagles after he pushed through the pain barrier to play against the New York Giants.

Quarterback Hurts suffered a shoulder injury during the Eagles' win over the Chicago Bears in Week 15, and Philadelphia subsequently lost their following two games.

That left them in danger of missing out on the NFC top seed, but a 22-16 victory over the Giants on Sunday ensured a bye to the second round of the playoffs, and home-field advantage.

Hurts returned for the crucial game, throwing 229 yards at a pass-completion rate of 57.1 per cent (20/35), with one interception.

"I feel like coming into this game, I've been really pushing myself beyond measures to try and be available," Hurts told the media.

"The risk-reward of playing, whatever that was, we did what we had to do. We're the one seed and we're NFC East champs and that's the goal we set out to do.

"Now I can continue to recover and be ready for the playoffs.

"It's been tough, but I don't really want to make it about me. We just accomplished a great goal of ours.

"My whole thing moving forward is, let's prepare to play our best ball. It's been a great ride this year but the job isn't finished.

"I had some things I had to battle within myself. I knew I wanted to be available for my team. It's really tough being out, let alone taking some losses when you’re out. I want to be available for my team. I really feel like if you want something you have to do what you have to do to go get it."

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said: "We didn't feel like there was more risk [of further injury] but I know [Jalen] was hurting, and he was hurting bad.

"But that's the kind of competitor he is, that's the kind of person he is, and kind of team-mate and leader he is that he was able to go out there and tough through it."

The Eagles joined the Kansas City Chiefs, who topped the AFC, on 14 wins this season. Indeed, Philadelphia set a franchise record for regular-season victories.

Receiver A.J. Brown, meanwhile, broke the Eagles' record - set by Mick Quick in 1983 - for the total number of receiving yards across the regular season, and Sirianni has confidence heading into the postseason.

"This team has done some special things," Sirianni added. "Some of the records that this team has had, as far as A.J. and DeVonta [Smith], to have two receivers do that, the most points, the most wins most importantly, right, the most sacks.  

"Just a lot of great things that happened in the regular season. We understand that. We talked about that a lot this week. We talked a lot this week about [how] we should be confident.  

"Again, do we feel like we played a great game today? No, not by any means. But this team should be confident, right? That doesn't mean cocky, it means confident with all the things that we have been able to accomplish this year."

The Philadelphia Eagles earned the top seed in the NFC and a first-round playoff bye after defeating the New York Giants 22-16 on Sunday.

Despite the contest finishing as a one-score game, the Eagles were comfortably in control throughout as three Jake Elliott field goals and a Boston Scott touchdown run gave Philadelphia a 16-0 lead in front of their home fans at half-time.

It was also a memorable first half for receiver A.J. Brown, who came into Week 18 needing just nine yards to break the Eagles' single-season record set by Mike Quick back in 1983 (1409 yards).

Brown got it done on his first catch, going on to finish with four receptions for 95 yards to set the new mark at 1496.

The Giants tried to make a game of things late, with a Davis Webb rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown to Kenny Golladay in the fourth period, but it was too little, too late for a New York team who already booked their ticket to the playoffs last week.

With the win, Philadelphia joined the Kansas City Chiefs as the only teams in the league to win 14 games, with those two teams earning the right to host all of their playoff games leading up to a potential Super Bowl.

Seahawks keep playoff hopes alive

The Seattle Seahawks will be eagerly awaiting the final result of the regular season after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 in overtime to hold up their end of the bargain.

Seattle came into the final week needing to beat the Rams, as well as needing the Detroit Lions to beat the Green Bay Packers in the night game to sneak into the playoffs.

The Seahawks almost blew it, hitting the upright with a potential game-winning field goal in regulation, but secured an interception in overtime to set up Jason Myers for redemption, nailing a 32-yarder to finish it.

In the process, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith threw for 213 yards, bringing his season total to a new franchise-record of 4282.

Jalen Hurts was a limited participant at Philadelphia Eagles practice again on Thursday but there are positive signs towards him playing in Sunday's regular season finale against the New York Giants.

Hurts suffered a sprain to his right throwing shoulder in the Eagles' 25-20 win over the Chicago Bears on December 18 and missed their past two games, both losses to the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints with Gardner Minshew starting at QB.

Philadelphia takes on the Giants on Sunday where victory will clinch the NFC top seed for the Eagles, but a defeat will leave them vulnerable, with the Cowboys potentially even jumping them to take out the NFC East.

Eagles quarterback Hurts has been a key part of their success this season, but has not been able to fully participate in practice since sustaining the sprain.

Philadelphia team-mate A.J. Brown revealed that Hurts took first-team reps on Thursday in a positive sign.

"We're all excited. We're all excited to see him back, doing his thing," Brown told reporters.

"He's locked in for sure. He definitely had a tempo about him today, even in the walkthrough. He was telling guys to 'come on, hurry up, get going.' Glad he's back."

Prior to the injury, Hurts was an MVP candidate with a 67.3 per cent completion rate for 3,472 yards with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed 747 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said earlier in the week that Hurts' status is "day by day", with no rush to make a decision on his availability.

The NFL has been in shock this week, following the terrible scenes in Monday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills.

Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest on the field has sent shockwaves through the sport, though it appears the 24-year-old is making progress in his recovery.

While Hamlin's health remains the league's priority over the rescheduling of that game from Week 17, there is also focus on the final round of fixtures.

There's plenty still be decided in Week 18, and Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview some of the key matchups.

SATURDAY (all times EST)

Chiefs (13-3) at Raiders (6-10) - 4:30pm

With the Bills and the Bengals having yet to finish the game that was rightly suspended on Monday, the AFC picture is not entirely clear. As things stand, a Kansas City Chiefs win in Las Vegas would mean they remain in with a chance of claiming the top seed, pending a decision on the Bengals-Bills game and the outcome of Buffalo's Week 18 clash against the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs have scored 28 or more points in nine consecutive games against the Raiders. The only longer streak of such games against a single opponent in NFL history is 10 by the Los Angeles Rams against the Green Bay Packers, and that came way back in 1949 to 1953. 

Jerick McKinnon caught two touchdowns in Kansas City's 27-24 win over the Denver Broncos and has seven touchdown catches in the Chiefs' last five games. That is the most receiving touchdowns by a running back over a span of five team games in the Super Bowl era. 

The Chiefs have scored 264 points on the road this season, averaging 33.0 points per game. If they hit their average on Saturday, they will finish with the third-most road points in a single season in NFL history, behind only the 2007 New England Patriots (314) and their own effort in 2018 (306).

Patrick Mahomes has 5,000 passing yards (5,048) and 250 rushing yards (329) in a single season for the second time in his career, also doing so in 2018.

Titans (7-9) at Jaguars (8-8) - 8:15pm

It will be winner-take-all in the AFC South when the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans face off. The victor will clinch the division and become the fourth seed in the playoffs. While Jacksonville would still be able to make the postseason via a wild card should they lose, Tennessee must win if they are to avoid elimination.

The Jaguars are looking to sweep the season series with the Titans for the first time since 2005. The only other NFL teams that have gone that long since they last swept a current divisional opponent are the Cleveland Browns, who last swept the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1988, and New York Jets, who last swept the Patriots in 2000 (the Browns also have a chance to end their drought this week).

Jacksonville could become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs immediately following back-to-back 14-loss seasons.

Meanwhile, the Titans are looking to avoid joining the 1994 Eagles as the only teams in league history to have at least seven wins before ending the season on a seven-game game losing streak.

SUNDAY

Giants (9-6-1) at Eagles (13-3) - 4:25pm

The Philadelphia Eagles have been the team to beat in the NFC all season, yet after successive defeats in the absence of Jalen Hurts, they now need a win to clinch the top seed.

Should they lose to the New York Giants, both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers will have to suffer defeats in order for the Eagles to be guaranteed home advantage in the playoffs.

The omens are good for the Eagles, who have won eight straight home games against the Giants, tied for the second-longest home win streak against a single opponent in team history. It trails only their active 10-game home win streak against the Steelers that started in 1966. 

A win against the Eagles would give the Giants 10 wins after having just four last season. It would be the first time New York earned double-digit wins in a season after having four or fewer wins since doing so in 1933 (11 wins after a 4-6 record in 1932).

Lions (8-8) @ Packers (8-8) - 8.20pm

Given the NFC East will get two of the conference's three wild cards, matters are relatively simple for the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. A Packers victory sends them through to the playoffs, while Detroit need to win and hope the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Seattle Seahawks.

The Packers are coming off a 41-17 win over the Vikings in which they had four takeaways and no giveaways. Green Bay are now 50-0-1 in the Super Bowl era (including playoffs) with a turnover margin of +4 or better in a game.

Green Bay's record at home against the Lions is 61-27-4, the most home wins by any team against a single opponent.

With another win, Aaron Rodgers would be the first QB in NFL history to have two seasons where his team was multiple games under .500 immediately before going on a five-or-greater game winning streak to end the regular season. 

But the Lions have scored at least 20 points while throwing no interceptions in eight straight games, tied for the longest streak in NFL history (regular season) with the 2005 Broncos, 2010 Patriots and 2018-19 Ravens.

Elsewhere...

New England will clinch a playoff spot should they defeat the Bills, who are of course recovering from that incident involving Hamlin. The Bills have won their last two games against the Patriots and are looking for three straight wins in the series for the first time since 1999-2000.

The Miami Dolphins have lost five in a row but can make the playoffs should they beat the Jets. The matchup is perfectly balanced all-time at 56 wins apiece with one tie entering this game. 

A run of five wins from six games has put the Steelers in playoff contention. They will have to beat the Browns and need results elsewhere go their way. Cleveland won against the Steelers in Week 3 this season. The Browns have not won multiple games against Pittsburgh in a season since the 1988 season.

The 49ers can still claim the top seed in the NFC by beating the Arizona Cardinals. San Francisco beat Las Vegas in Week 17, 37-34, despite trailing by 10 points in the third quarter. It was the Niners' second-largest comeback victory in the second half under Kyle Shanahan.

It has been a terrible season for the Rams (5-11), but they are 7-3 in their last 10 games against Seattle. The Seahawks got a 27-23 win in Inglewood in Week 13, the closest game between these teams since a 30-29 Seahawks win in Week 5, 2019. 

The Philadelphia Eagles still do not know if Jalen Hurts will play in Week 18, although the quarterback will take part in Wednesday's walkthrough.

Hurts has missed the Eagles' past two games with a shoulder injury, having been a leading NFL MVP contender in a 13-1 start to the season.

Philly have lost twice in the QB's absence, meaning fans are eager to see him back before the playoffs, with work still to do in their final regular season game to clinch the top seed in the NFC.

The Eagles play the New York Giants, another postseason team, but have not yet decided on Hurts' involvement.

"We'll still keep that day by day," said coach Nick Sirianni. "We don't have to make a decision yet.

"We'll see how the week goes and see how [Wednesday's] walkthrough goes. [On Thursday] we'll see a little bit more because we'll be doing more than a walkthrough, we'll be practicing, so we'll get a better idea."