Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Key Matchups to Watch on MNF

As both teams jockey for playoff positioning in the NFC and aim to snap losing streaks, the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles will duke it out on Monday Night Football in a potential clash of backup quarterbacks.

Leading up to Monday's prime time battle, the Seahawks and Eagles listed Geno Smith and Jalen Hurts as questionable with a groin injury and illness respectively, Both signal callers will be game-time decisions, creating uncertainty for each team and setting the stage for a possible duel between Drew Lock and Marcus Mariota.

With injuries certainly being a factor, which matchups will have the greatest impact on who lands a signature Week 15 victory? With major playoff ramifications in play, here are six positional battles to watch as Seattle spars with Philadelphia at Lumen Field:

--Seahawks guards Damien Lewis and Anthony Bradford, center Evan Brown versus Eagles defensive tackles Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Fletcher Cox: Regardless of whether Smith or Lock starts under center for Seattle, the interior offensive line will once again be tested by one of the deepest, most talented defensive lines in football. The rich only got richer when Carter fell into Philadelphia's lap in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft due to character concerns and thus far, the decision to move up a spot to select the former Georgia star has paid dividends. A front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, he has been a menace as an interior pass rusher, racking up 39 quarterback pressures and four sacks. Next to him, Cox has continued to be productive at 33 years young, recording 15 quarterback hits and four sacks, while the massive 336-pound Davis has total 49 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 13 starts.

Dealing with Cox, Davis, and Carter will be a significant test for a Seahawks interior line that hasn't played well amid a four-game losing streak. On the plus side, Lewis has been solid in pass protection the past two weeks, allowing only two pressures on 70 pass blocking snaps. Bradford, a fourth-round pick out of LSU, has endured expected rookie struggles against top competition, yielding six pressures in those two games replacing an injured Phil Haynes. In the middle, Brown's performance has been inconsistent as of late, as he surrendered two sacks in a Week 12 loss to the 49ers and didn't allow any pressures in a tight loss to the Cowboys. All three of those players will have to be on top of their game keeping Smith/Lock clean while also finding a way to create a bit of movement at the line of scrimmage in the line game against a formidable trio of defensive tackles.

--Seahawks cornerbacks Riq Woolen, Tre Brown, and Coby Bryant versus Eagles receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith: Boasting one of the premier receiving duos in the NFL, the Eagles hit a pair of home runs trading a first-round pick to the Titans for Brown and using another first-round selection on Smith in the 2021 NFL Draft. Emerging as a superstar in Philadelphia, the chiseled 226-pound Brown ranks ninth in the league in receptions, third in receiving yards, and eighth in touchdowns. He's also one of the most dangerous vertical threats in the sport, currently tied for fifth with 20 receptions of 20 or more yards. Known for his crisp route running and soft hands, Smith has been near as productive, ranking 16th in receptions and 18th in receiving yards (907) with six touchdowns, providing the perfect complement on the outside with slot versatility.

After getting toasted by Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel last weekend in Santa Clara, Seattle's secondary will look to bounce back, but it will likely have to do so without Witherspoon. The rookie sensation exited last Sunday's loss in the first quarter with a hip injury and though he's listed as questionable, he didn't practice all week. If he can't go, Bryant will jump back into the lineup as the primary slot corner, while Tre Brown will return to action on the outside after sitting out last week with a heel injury. Woolen and Brown will see the brunt of snaps working against Brown and Smith, whose unique skill sets will present different challenges for both defenders to deal with. Limiting big plays and yards after the catch will be crucial for the Seahawks to have any chance at pulling the upset.

--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba versus Eagles cornerbacks James Bradberry, Josh Jobe, and Bradley Roby: The Seahawks won't be the only team entering Monday night with injury concerns at the cornerback spot. Earlier in the week, out of the blue, reports surfaced confirming Darius Slay had undergone arthroscopic knee surgery and would be out indefinitely, dishing a major blow to a secondary that has been struggling with him in the lineup as of late. Regressing substantially after receiving a massive extension in March, Bradberry has already allowed eight touchdowns in coverage and a 104.6 passer rating, while Jobe has yielded three touchdowns on 15 receptions allowed for a 113.1 rating. As a group, they have allowed 46 receptions of 20 or more yards, which ranks in the bottom third of the league.

In the past, Metcalf has had his way with Slay and has to be licking his lips considering the struggles Bradberry and Jobe have had all year giving up big plays. The same could be said for Lockett, whose speed and quickness could be a matchup issue for both of Philadelphia's outside corners stretching the field vertically and horizontally. In the slot, Roby has posted underwhelming numbers since being signed from the practice squad, setting up a quality matchup opportunity for Smith-Njigba, who has produced at least 40 receiving yards in five of Seattle's past six games. Smith or Lock will have to have time to throw, which is a big if, but if the offensive line gives either quarterback time, the Seahawks should have a significant advantage on the outside against an undermanned cornerback group.

--Seahawks defensive tackles Jarran Reed, Leonard Williams, and Dre'Mont Jones versus Eagles center Jason Kelce, guards Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen: By nearly every metric, Philadelphia has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, including ranking in the top three in pass block and run block grades via Pro Football Focus. A likely future Hall of Famer, Kelce continues to play at an elite level and has only allowed one sack and eight pressures all season long. At the guard spots, however, Dickerson has given up 29 pressures this season and with right guard Cam Jurgens sidelined by an injury, Steen will be thrust into action for his second start this season. The rookie out of Alabama has struggled in limited action, giving up six pressures on 38 pass blocking reps.

On the opposite side of the line, no position group has played as well on a consistent basis as Seattle's interior defensive line. Leading the charge, a resurgent Reed has played at a borderline Pro Bowl level, ranking in the top 20 among defensive tackles in pressures (36), sacks (six), and batted passes (two). Next to him, Williams has lived up to expectations since coming over from the Giants in a late October trade, exceeding 20 pressures with a trio of sacks in six games with the Seahawks so far. Those two players and Jones, who has turned it on of late after a somewhat slow start, could pose problems for a banged-up Eagles interior line protecting Hurts or Mariota with the vocal 12s cheering behind them.

--Seahawks running backs Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet versus Eagles linebackers Nicholas Morrow and Shaquille Leonard: During the offseason, Philadelphia lost both of its starting inside linebackers in Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards in free agency, moving forward with ex-Georgia star Nakobe Dean and veteran Zach Cunningham. Dean went down with a Lisfranc injury in November, however, and Cunningham won't be available on Monday night, leaving an already vulnerable position group with even less depth. Morrow has been an asset as a blitzer, registering nine pressures and three sacks this year, but he has been susceptible in coverage allowing 29 catches for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Set to make his first start since signing with the team, Leonard was recently released by the Colts due to diminished play and the former All-Pro got torched as a cover linebacker in limited action last year, giving up eight receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns.

In theory, with the Eagles down multiple starting linebackers and keeping fingers crossed Leonard can rediscover some of his game with a change of scenery, using tight ends should be a focal point for the Seahawks in the passing game. But testing Morrow and Leonard with running backs out of the backfield could also be a very effective strategy, attacking them both vertically and horizontally in coverage through Texas, seam, and flat routes. Getting to the second level in the run game could also bear fruit, especially with Leonard not being as effective at getting ball carriers to the ground as he used to be.

--Seahawks safeties Jamal Adams and Julian Love versus Eagles quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Marcus Mariota: In many cases, when a dual-threat quarterback like Hurts goes down with an injury or illness, the backup doesn't have similar athletic tools. But that's not at all the case for the Eagles, who have a former top-five pick and long-time starter in Mariota. The ex-Oregon star still has wheels at 30 years old and can hurt defenses with designed runs as well as scrambling on broken down pass plays, ensuring offensive coordinator Brian Johnson can run his entire playbook without any restrictions. Like Hurts, his athletic tools will put a strain on the Seahawks defensively by limiting what coverages they can call out of fear of him taking off and using his legs to create yardage or extend pass plays to find open receivers.

If there's a positive for Seattle, the defense doesn't have to alter its game plan at all if Hurts or Mariota plays on Monday night. Either way, defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt will have to mix in spy responsibilities for a defender to keep tabs on the quarterback at all times and either Adams or Love likely will carry that duty as the strong safety playing near the line of scrimmage. Along with helping take away crossers in the middle of the field, they will be tasked with guarding the quarterback sideline-to-sideline, looking to take away big scrambles and create delayed pressure when Hurts or Mariota exits the pocket as a passer, which will be key to avoiding letdowns on second and third down situations.

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