Seahawks-Eagles Final Score: Russell Wilson has MVP-caliber performance, Seahawks beat Eagles 24-10

The Seattle Seahawks needed to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in order to stay just a game behind the Los Angeles Rams for first-place in the NFC West, as well as to overtake the Atlanta Falcons for the #6 seed in the wild card race. They needed to play championship-level football, and in front of a raucous crowd at CenturyLink Field, the Seahawks delivered perhaps their best performance all season long.

Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, didn’t turn the ball over once, and the injury-riddled defense bent but didn’t break against the vaunted Eagles offense. Seattle led from the opening drive until the final whistle, and recorded a huge 24-10 win over the team that came into Sunday night with the league’s best record. Seattle is now 8-4 on the season, and while beating Philadelphia was fantastic, it’d be even better if the Eagles bounced back and beat the Rams in Los Angeles next week.

1st Quarter

The Seahawks received the opening kickoff and went 53 yards on 12 plays, capped off with a 46-yard field goal by Blair Walsh. Russell Wilson had third-down conversions to Doug Baldwin and Paul Richardson to keep the drive going. 3-0 Seahawks.

After a big kick return was nullified due to an Eagles penalty, Carson Wentz and the Philly offense started from their own 10. Seattle’s defense nearly forced a three-and-out, but Carson Wentz ran for a first down on 3rd and 2 after dropping the snap. Bradley McDougald gave the Eagles 15 additional yards on a late hit. On the next 3rd and 2, McDougald atoned for his error by stopping LaGarrette Blount for just a yard, leading to an Eagles punt near midfield, and Tyler Lockett calling for a fair catch at his own 10.

Run, run, sack, punt summed up the Seahawks’ next drive. A bad punt by Jon Ryan set up the Eagles in Seahawks territory, just inside midfield. Nelson Agholor was wide open for a potential 30+ yard pass play, but Wentz overthrew him on 1st and 10. The misfire cost the Eagles a shot at points, as Frank Clark sacked Wentz to force the three-and-out.

Following consecutive completions to Nick Vannett and Jimmy Graham, Wilson hooked up with Mike Davis for 23 yards into Philadelphia territory. Pass interference on Ronald Darby sent the Seahawks into the red zone. A defensive holding pushed the Seahawks five yards closer, and Russell found Jimmy Graham for the touchdown. It’s the first time all season the Eagles have given up a TD in the opening quarter. 10-0 Seahawks.

2nd Quarter

Philadelphia went to their rushing attack to get their offense jumpstarted, with Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, and Wentz all managing quality runs on their way to Seattle territory. Facing 3rd and 7, Frank Clark sacked Carson Wentz but was way offsides, so 3rd and 2 proved to be an easy conversion for Blount to the Seahawks 15. A run to the 1 was rightly called back due to an Alshon Jeffery hold, and Byron Maxwell shut down chances of a touchdown by tackling Ajayi well short of the line to gain on 3rd and 6. Jake Elliott put the Eagles on the board with a chipshot FG. 10-3 Seahawks.

Mike Davis gained 14 yards on three plays on Seattle’s ensuing possession, but a Germain Ifedi false start essentially killed the drive. The Eagles’ quest for more points before intermission was snuffed out by outstanding run defense by Bradley McDougald, who denied Corey Clement on a 3rd and 2 toss in Seahawks territory but outside of field goal range. Philadelphia punted and Seattle knelt to keep the score at 10-3 at halftime.

3rd Quarter

Philadelphia went uptempo to begin the second half, and their passing game finally got into gear. On 4th and inches (after a curious challenge on a failure to convert 3rd and 12), Wentz kept and got the yard needed and the Eagles found themselves inside Seattle’s 30. A 23-yard catch-and-run for Alshon Jeffery set up 1st and goal at the Seahawks 5. After a negative run on 1st down, Wentz kept on the read-option and Sheldon Richardson ripped the ball out. It bounced around and out of the end zone for a clutch Seahawks takeaway.

Starting at their own 20, the Seahawks benefited from a couple of automatic first downs by penalty, as one holding came on an unsuccessful 3rd and 1, and then another one by Corey Graham on Jimmy Graham gave Seattle five more yards. A few snaps later, the Eagles did an all-out blitz and that left Doug Baldwin wide open to score an apparent 48-yard touchdown, but a replay showed that Baldwin’s foot dragged out of bounds, so the ball was spotted at the 1. No fear, for Wilson found Tyler Lockett open for a touchdown that did count. 17-3 Seahawks.

It didn’t take long for the Eagles to return to Seahawks territory. Wentz took advantage of a busted coverage and Nelson Agholor got free for 32 yards. They advanced to Seattle’s 25, where Bradley McDougald broke up a pass intended for Zach Ertz on 3rd and 3. Down 14, Philly went for it, and K.J. Wright’s blitz forced an errant and hurried throw from Wentz, who overshot Kenyon Barner out of the backfield. Turnover on downs!

Mike Davis had a highlight-reel 22-yard run in what was a really outstanding multi-cut move by Davis. Seattle was on the cusp of field goal range, then taken straight out of it on a Russell Wilson intentional grounding penalty. If he didn’t ground it, chances are he would’ve been sacked, so pick your poison.

Kris Richard dialed up a fantastic corner blitz to end the quarter, as Wentz was whacked by the blindside rush of Justin Coleman, setting up 3rd and long heading into the final 15 minutes of play.

4th Quarter

On 3rd and 13, Wentz escaped pressure from Quinton Jefferson and somehow found Nelson Agholor for 53 yards, over the head of Byron Maxwell who misjudged the trajectory.

Maxwell would be burned on a 3rd and 14, this time for a touchdown to Agholor. 17-10 Seahawks.

Looking to avoid a three-and-out, Wilson hit Doug Baldwin for a 10-yard gain on 3rd and 7 to keep the sticks going. On another 3rd down, Wilson took off and then knowing he’d be short of the 1st down, he flipped it to Mike Davis to run past the marker and plenty more. It probably should’ve been called back as a forward psas given where Davis caught it, but Doug Pederson didn’t challenge it.

Nick Vannett was wide open on a scramble drill, then two plays later, JD McKissic was wide open for a touchdown, the third thrown by Wilson in the game. 24-10 Seahawks with 7:25 remaining.

With Zach Ertz injured, Wentz heavily targeted backup TE Trey Burton, and the Eagles were quickly in Seattle’s half of the field. They would not advance much further, as Wentz threw incomplete passes on three straight downs to hand the ball back to the Seahawks. Seattle promptly went three-and-out, but all of those plays kept the clock rolling, and the Eagles sat on their remaining two timeouts before receiving the ball again with 3:30 to go.

Frank Clark got to Wentz for his second sack of the game, and the third one overall on Wentz. Philadelphia took a lot of time off the clock for no good reason, and by the time they got to midfield, there was only 2:10 remaining. Wentz took a deep shot into double coverage and Byron Maxwell, who had a rough game overall, ended Philly’s feint comeback hopes with an interception in the end zone.

Seattle ran three plays to get the Eagles to use their remaining timeouts, and in garbage time, the Eagles couldn’t get even a consolation score. 24-10 Seahawks final score.

Seahawks Injury Report

None!

Next week’s opponent

The Seahawks go to Florida on December 10th to play the 8-4 Jacksonville Jaguars at 1:25 PM PT on FOX.

When is Enemy Reaction coming out?

Monday.