This past Sunday the Philadelphia Eagles defense was playing at a Super Bowl caliber-level against the Seattle Seahawks. They played so well overall that I couldn't pick just one impactful play that they made. The defense served this game to the Eagles offense on a silver platter. However, the offense's poor effort allowed a crucial game to slip from their grasps.
Led by MVP-candidate Russell Wilson, the Seahawks offense put up just 17 points. The Eagles offense had a decent start which gave me hope, but they had to settle for a field goal early on. The defense kept it a one-score game until the fourth quarter, but the offense never rose to the occasion to at least tie the game up.
In previous meetings the Eagles struggled mightily against Russell Wilson because of his evasiveness, but on Sunday the Eagles contained him to the best of their abilities. You can think you have Wilson trapped, but he will sometimes fool you and make the biggest play of the game, like he did on this trick play.
That play was pretty much the only impactful play from Seattle's passing game, as the Eagles defense (led by Malcolm Jenkins being used as a quarterback spy) kept disrupting Wilson. Jenkins ended up with a career-best two sacks in this game, both of which came on third downs to make the Seahawks have to punt the ball away.
The Eagles finished the game with a whopping six sacks on Wilson, coming from a wide variety of Eagles players stepping up to make an impact; a lot of the sacks were on third downs. Then the fact that no other team this year has sacked Wilson in a game that much shows how much the Eagles wanted to make him a non-factor.
Then safety Rodney McLeod got an interception in the 3rd Quarter off a tipped ball from cornerback Ronald Darby, which if not for Darby recognizing the play this would have gone for a first down on the 30-yard line in Eagles territory. A heads up play for both Eagles defenders.
The Eagles defense only made two mistakes in this whole game: the trick play passing touchdown and the 58-yard rush touchdown from Rashaad Penny. Giving up only 17 points to a hot defense like the Seahawks allowed the Eagles offense plenty of opportunities to win this game. The offense fumbled this win just like the fumbled the ball through the entire game, ending it at 17-9 Seahawks win.
Which Eagles defender did you think had the best overall game against the Seahawks? Vote in our poll!
