Enemy Confidential: Struggling Carson Wentz, Eagles Aiming to Right Ship Against Seahawks
Following an active offseason in which the organization overhauled their defense with a few big name additions and added talent at receiver in the draft, the Eagles had sights set on returning to the Super Bowl for a second time in four years.
But now 10 games into the schedule, it's safe to say the season hasn't gone as planned in the City of Brotherly Love to this point. Mired in a two-game losing streak and dealing with a litany of injuries on offense that have left quarterback Carson Wentz with poor protection and few viable receiving options around him, little has gone right with Philadelphia limping out to a disappointing 3-6-1 start.
Playing in the NFL's weakest division has perks, however, and the Eagles will enter a pivotal contest with the Seahawks on Monday Night Football with much left to play for. A win would vault Wentz and company back into first place in the dreadful NFC East, where the Giants and Washington Football Team currently share the division lead with dismal 4-7 records.
After grinding out a pair of tightly-contested 17-9 wins in Philadelphia last season, including in the Wild Card round, Seattle coach Pete Carroll isn't about to overlook a talented, playoff-tested team with so much on the line. Even considering his own team's recent defensive improvements, most of his concerns lie in trying to contain a physical rushing attack led by second-year back Miles Sanders.
'We gotta play another tough offense," Carroll told reporters last week. "They're a big running team and they're really good at it. We have to take care of business there."
If there's another area Philadelphia should feel confident heading into this rematch, it's a strong pass rush paced by one of the NFL's best defensive lines that currently ranks second in sacks and sixth in quarterback pressure rate. With starting right tackle Brandon Shell sidelined, keeping defensive ends Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat away from quarterback Russell Wilson could prove difficult.
Here’s a closer look at the Seahawks upcoming Week 12 opponent, including series history, additions/departures, key numbers, and Carroll's evaluation of the Eagles.
SERIES HISTORY
--19th all-time meeting. Seattle leads the series 11-7.
The Seahawks have dominated this series in recent history, winning six straight and eight of the last nine matchups between these two franchises. Under Carroll, Seattle has gone a perfect 6-0 against Philadelphia, including winning on the road in the Wild Card round last January.
WHAT’S NEW?
Departures: As part of a substantial defensive makeover this offseason, the Eagles let former captain and Pro Bowl safety Malcolm Jenkins and veteran cornerback Ronald Darby depart in free agency, with the two former starters signing with the Saints and Washington Football Team respectively. On offense, key reserve tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai signed a multi-year deal with the Lions, running back Jordan Howard signed with the Dolphins, and receiver Nelson Agholor wasn't retained before ultimately joining the Raiders as a free agent.
Additions: Philadelphia made several splashy moves in an effort to upgrade its defense, starting with the decision to sign defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a three-year contract in March. Then, they promptly dealt a third and fifth-round pick to the Lions for disgruntled former All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay and signed him to a lucrative three-year extension to bolster the secondary. Later in free agency, after the Rams released cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, the Eagles swiftly signed him as the team's new nickel back to add more experience in the defensive backfield.
To supplement an aging, injury-plagued receiving corps, Philadelphia used its first round pick on speedy TCU receiver Jalen Reagor, who has caught 16 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown so far in his rookie season. Roseman then made a heavily scrutinized move to use a second round pick on quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has been used in Wildcat packages throughout the season. Other notable draft picks made by the Eagles include tackle Jack Driscoll, safety K'Von Wallace, and receiver John Hightower, who were all selected on day three.
BY THE NUMBERS
14: Passing touchdowns, tied for the seventh-fewest in the NFL.
20: Fumbles by Philadelphia on offense, the most among 32 NFL teams.
4: Number of 40-plus yard rushes by the Eagles, the most in the league.
40: Times Wentz has been sacked this season, the most in the NFL.
37.5: Third down conversion percentage, tied for fourth-worst in the league.
13: Passing touchdowns given up by Eagles defense, third-fewest in the NFL.
25.2: Quarterback pressure rate, sixth-best among 32 teams.
76: Quarterback hits, tied for third most in the league.
133.4: Rushing yards allowed per game, eighth-most in the NFL.
38.1: Third down conversion percentage, seventh-best among 32 teams.
CARROLL’S THOUGHTS
--Leading all quarterbacks in the NFL by a fairly wide margin, Wentz has thrown a league-worst 14 interceptions and lost four fumbles while being battered to a pulp behind a struggling, depleted offensive line. Injuries at receiver have also impacted his production too, as Desean Jackson was lost to injured reserve and Reagor missed significant time before recently returning to action.
Despite his poor production and calls from some angry Philly fans to switch to Hurts, however, Carroll still holds great respect for Wentz as both a runner and a passer, comparing him favorably to Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Under the lights, he expects the fifth-year quarterback to play at his best and present plenty of challenges for Seattle's defense on Monday night.
"As always, he's tough, he makes big plays, he's got big throws or big runs in him," Carroll said last Tuesday. "They haven't had the success that they want to have, but they're leading their division and they're battling for that and he's their leader and he's their guy. He's a big stud quarterback whose hard to get on the ground... He makes things happen, so he's tough to deal with."
--While Wentz hasn't come close to returning to 2017 form when he threw 33 touchdowns in 13 games prior to suffering a torn ACL, the Eagles offense has been buoyed by a strong run game with Sanders as the featured workhorse.
Though injuries cost him a trio of games earlier this season, the former Penn State standout has rushed for 585 yards and averaged nearly six yards per carry to lead Philadelphia's ground game. He's also been a problem for opponents catching passes out of the backfield, producing 17 catches for 116 yards as a receiver.
Per Carroll, what makes defending the Eagles run game such a challenge to deal with is the presence of Wentz as a ball carrier coupled with the diversity of their scheme and the home run capabilities of Sanders and reserve Boston Scott.
"Very versatile," Carroll said when asked about Sanders' skill set. "Explosive - he's got a lot of long plays - he had a 70-yarder and a 60-yarder. They have broken a lot of big plays and it's why they are averaging over five yards a carry as a team... With Wentz as an option also in the running game, they create the problems for you that really bust him into the clear, so Miles has taken advantage of that. He runs inside and outside, does everything."
