Eagles Lose Third Straight Game To Seahawks

Mistakes, missed tackles, play calling, decision making, secondary, organization turmoil. What has happened to our Philadelphia Eagles? Just a few short weeks ago we were sitting pretty at 10-1 looking for another chance to clinch the home field for the second straight season but instead, the Eagles will take the long flight home from Seattle having lost 3 in a row and falling to 10-4.

It has seemed any “dog” mentality on this team went into hibernation. A few players still maintain this quota, but the team as a whole is not clicking and if anything starting to click less at the wrong time. Here are a few of my thoughts on tonight’s key moments.

First drives of each half

The Eagles started each half spectacularly, something we haven’t seen them do in a very long time. It almost actually seemed like we were playing the opposite type of game we were playing all season. We held the lead for over 59 minutes and 30 seconds and lost in the final minutes, a fashion of winning we have been doing to teams all season. The two bright spots were the first drives of each half. In the very first drive of the game the Eagles converted third downs to Dallas Goedert and AJ Brown that led to a Jalen Hurts TD scamper. The offense stalled again for the rest of the first half not scoring a touchdown and missing out on a RedZone opportunity due to a Jason Kelce false start penalty for moving the ball. Similar details in the second half…after a long drive from the Seahawks to tie it at 10 the Birds responded, going 75 yards once again ending in a Hurts run for a score. This time they utilized the run game and all facets of the game seemed to be clicking for the Eagles. The strengths of this offense were on display for the time in a few games tonight, but they only appeared for 2 or maybe 3 drives throughout the entire game. Another incomplete game was called by Brian Johnson and lackluster execution on offense by the unit. With the weapons on this team, there is no way we shouldn’t be putting up at least 25 points a game.

Jalen Hurts INTs // Decision Making

Worst play I’ve seen Hurts ever make besides the Super Bowl fumble. Worst play-call I’ve ever seen since maybe Miracle at the Meadowlands. What in the world are these guys thinking?! It is 1st and 10, in Seattle territory, up 4, with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Didn’t we learn in Phoenix that Quez Watkins’ deep balls aren’t such a great idea? The decision from Hurts really shows why his turnover numbers are up. There were multiple times in this game when he tried for the home run ball and did not make nearly a good enough throw to give the receiver any chance to catch the ball. At least throw it to Julio Jones who is big but we choose Quez Watkins. No disrespect to Quez but that is not the situation to throw him the ball. Earlier in the game Hurts has Devonta Smith on a crosser and decides to take a shot with Brown. If the ball is completed to Smith, he has at least 20 yards of free space up the sideline for a drive extending first down. Finally, with the second INT…all Hurts has to do is check it down to Kenneth Gainwell at about 9 seconds on the clock with about 15-20 yards in front of him. That gets them easily in Jake Elliot’s field goal range at that point, and it gives us a chance to tie the game.

Matt Patricia/Defense

In his first game as DC, I think Matt Patricia did an excellent job of disguising coverages and getting matchups where they needed to be for about 58 minutes. Sydney Brown who made the first couple of plays of the game forgot how to tackle and continued to miss play after play and they increasingly became more crucial for the Eagles. He did show flashes of speed and aggressiveness, but he reminded us he is a young player and will need time to grow. Patricia blitzed less than Desai, but the Eagles were already bottom 5 in blitzes this season. The run game for the Seahawks was able to get some steam due to the constant protection of big plays and multiple 3 safety looks that allowed Kenneth Walker to torch the Eagles for multiple drives. Linebackers and missed tackles were killers on their key touchdown drives. And lastly, the 92-yard drive for Drew Lock and the Seahawks. That was their longest drive of the season and they converted three 3rd downs on the drive, including the game-winning touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left. James Bradberry should never be allowed to play in man coverage again. Kelee Ringo showed flashes of great, and Jalen Carter should win DROTY.

Eagles fall to 10-4. Tied with Dallas for the NFC East lead.

Next game: Christmas Day at 4:30 PM vs New York Giants @ The Linc