3 Up, 3 Down: Winners, Losers from Seahawks Week 12 Victory Against Eagles
Following a much-needed victory over the Cardinals, the Seahawks hit the road and were looking to stretch their winning streak to two games during their showdown against the Eagles on Monday Night Football.
Needing to keep quarterback Carson Wentz off balance all game long, Seattle's defense did exactly that, as they limited him to just one touchdown through the first 59 minutes of the game and sacked him six different times. With the help of their outstanding pass rush, they were able to force Philadelphia's offense to punt the ball five times in the first half and also created a trio of turnovers as well (two turnover on downs and one interception).
As for the offense, the Seahawks started off the game on a bad note, failing to convert on back-to-back fourth down conversions during their first two drives of the contest. That being said, a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter from teammates David Moore and Chris Carson provided Seattle with a lead they wouldn't relinquish as they came away with a 23-17 victory.
Let's dive into our three big winners and three losers from the Seahawks’ sixth straight victory against the Eagles during the regular season dating back to 2011.
Three Up
DK Metcalf
Serving as one of the top offensive weapons once again, Metcalf enjoyed plenty of success in this primetime showdown in spite of being covered by All-Pro corner Darius Slay all game long. As a result of creating 118 receiving yards during just the first half, the 22-year old generated a total of 177 yards and caught 10 of his 13 targets
Though he didn’t have a touchdown of his own and dropped a pass in the end zone, the second-year pass catcher was able to help set up the offense’s first score of the game, as his 52-yard catch down the middle of the field allowed Moore to catch a one-yard touchdown pass two plays later. While a missed blocking assignment didn’t help his team convert a fourth-down conversion at the Eagles’ two-yard line, the former second-round pick was able to make up for that error with his strong performance through the rest of the game.
Jamal Adams
Despite battling through an injured shoulder over the last two games, the mini bye week provided Adams with some much-needed rest and it paid off in a massive way, resulting in one of his top statistical performances of the season. Along with producing a team-high nine total tackles and six solo tackles, the All-Pro strong safety also generated a pair of quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, and a sack – tying his career-high 6.5 sacks for the season.
Creating havoc in the backfield through all four quarters, the former first-round selection was able to blow up consecutive running plays during the first quarter, which ultimately forced the Eagles to punt for the second straight drive to open the game. Forcing his way into the backfield during a crucial point of the game, the Texas native exploded off the edge to bring Wentz down for the sack, forcing the opponent to settle for a 42-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.
L.J. Collier
Even though his recent surge may not jump out on the stat sheet, Collier has quietly emerged as an impact player over the last few games and was able to produce another strong showing against the Eagles. Looking past just his two solo tackles, the second-year pro made a pair of crucial plays and each of them prevented big-yardage gains.
Making his presence felt early in the second quarter, the TCU standout helped tackle running back Miles Sanders for no gain on a third-down situation, forcing the Eagles to punt for the fifth straight time. Nearly creating his second sack of the season, the 6-foot-2 defensive end tackled Wentz after just a one-yard gain, eventually forcing their offense to settle for a 42-yard field goal.
Three Down
Ethan Pocic
After missing the last two games with a concussion, Pocic was able to make his triumphant return to the starting lineup but did appear to be a little rusty, as he struggled at times in both pass protection and during run blocking situations. While the 25-year old does deserve at least a little slack for playing in his first game in nearly a month, he prevented his team from surging into the end zone on a fourth-down conversion, which led to a turnover at Philadelphia’s two-yard line.
Committing his biggest misplay of the contest midway through the opening quarter, the 6-foot-6 center was bullied to the ground by defensive end Derek Barnett, allowing him to tackle Moore for a five-yard loss. Making an impact in a negative way during the offense’s second drive of the game on another fourth down attempt, the LSU standout failed to hold his block, which forced Wilson to escape the pocket for only a one-yard gain and it ultimately led to another turnover on downs.
Cedric Ogbuehi
Filling in for offensive tackle Brandon Shell – who was sidelined with a high ankle sprain – Ogbuehi made his first start since 2017 and will probably be wishing he could receive a few do-overs during a pair of key plays. After running back Carlos Hyde was brought down for a three-yard loss, the 6-foot-5 offensive tackle failed to hold block on the next play, forcing Wilson to throw the ball away and positioning the offense into a third and long that nearly prevented them from producing their first score of the game.
Charged with a holding penalty early in the fourth quarter, the 28-year old’s infraction negated a 17-yard touchdown run from Hyde, which forced the offense to settle for a 33-yard field goal. Considering there’s a chance Shell might not be able to return to action in Week 13, it’ll be extremely important for the former first-round pick to improve after a tough outing if he’s in the lineup next Sunday against the Giants.
Tyler Lockett
With Metcalf receiving most of the attention in the passing game, Lockett was forced to take a back seat, resulting in one of his quietest performances of the season. Limited to just four targets (tied for season-low), the speedy pass catcher created three receptions for only 23 yards and generated 18 of those yards on one play early in the second quarter.
Aside from his 18-yard reception, which helped the offense score their first of two touchdowns in the second quarter, the 28-year old proved to be a non-factor for the first time since Week 8. Capping off his tough showing, the 5-foot-10 receiver failed to move the chains forward with his final catch of the game, forcing his team to settle for a 44-yard field goal late in regulation.
