How good does a team have to be to be favored on the road against the defending conference champion that in the current season owns the best record in the National Football League?

Niners good.

That’s right, on Sunday San Francisco visits Philadelphia, the site of last year’s National Football Conference Championship Game won by the Eagles … with the 49ers minus their quarterback. Early in that game last January, Brock Purdy took his undefeated record into Lincoln Financial Field and in the first quarter injured his elbow that made it impossible for him to throw a pass … and nearly as certain spelled a 49ers loss.

“Can you throw with your left arm?” George Kittle quizzed Purdy during the second half after the 49ers backup, Josh Johnson, was also knocked out of the game with an injury. He couldn’t, so he spent the final quarter plus of that loss handing the ball off against a talented Eagles defense that didn’t have to defend a pass.

The Kittle question to Purdy was in fact a light moment with the best of humor offered in a game that the 49ers had to play out without a chance for success. Had it been a boxing match, they would have stopped the fight early.

Now, here we are ten months later and the 49ers get another shot at the team with the best record in football on the champs home field. And the books make the 49ers a road favorite.

How can this be?

The Eagles have lost only one game this year, are perfect on their home field, and are looking to further secure home field advantage for the postseason. The Eagles currently have a two game advantage over two other division leaders, the Detroit Lions lead the NFC North with an 8 and 3 record, same as the 49ers won/loss mark that is good enough for first place in the NFC West. The Eagles 10-1 mark is two games ahead of the second place Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.

So, again, why are the 49ers favored?

Two reasons come to mind quickly. First, they being two games back of the Eagles means that a Philadelphia victory would push them three games ahead of San Francisco. In the world of mathematical balance, it is much more likely that after Sunday the gap between these two teams will be one game instead of three.

Second, the 49ers are just that good.

Qoxhi Picks: San Francisco 49ers (-2½) over Philadelphia Eagles