PHILADELPHIA - This is clearly in the category of ugly wins.
The Seattle Sea Hawks stumbled around Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Russell Wilson was fired six times. At one point, a short touchdown pass flew over its wide open target. And TD was probably left on the goal line. Shortly after the Seattle defense made a reckless recovery, the Seahawks reversed it.
For ships. The good thing is, they ran into the worst of the competitors.
The Philadelphia Eagles tried, but they were not equipped to make a decent fight.
Bottom line, the Seahawks won 17-9, marking their fourth consecutive win and making a franchise record of road victories (6) in a single season. Regardless of what happens next at Levi's Stadium, the less impressive result could also lead Seattle (9-2) to the NFC West in the first place.
The Eagles (6-6) are down but still hoping for a playoff late in the season.
Do you see their schedule? Only one of the Eagles' remaining five games comes against a team that has won more than two games.
Seattle needed extra time to regain its previous two victories, and seven victories this season were seven points or less. But at least they didn't have to finish this time, despite the Eagle Touchdown last time.
But God knows they tried.
We have learned three more things since Sunday.
The Eagles really missed Lane Johnson. And Alshon Jeffrey, Nelson Eggler, Jordan Howard, and also DeSean Jackson. Philadelphia, the victim of an injury, could rise slightly against Seattle's defense without its best playmaker (Gideon Colony, out of a hip injury). Carson Wentz was barely at his best (2 INTs, 2 fumbles lost), but he was also in the siege of an entire afternoon (3 sacks) behind an O-line that was his best in Johnson (concussion protocol). The lineman was without, the right guard lost. Brendan Brooks (illness) early on and he quit trying to re-work on the farm after missing three games with Jason Peters' knee injury. Foley's defense maintained the game, but the offense could never be out of the trash.
The hands of DK Metcalfe cannot be trusted. The Seahawks rookie receiver - whose representative is set up with a bodybuilder's body and 3333.33 - for the second time at 228 pounds in a 40-yard dash - is still not a complete package. In the second game, he defeated a touchdown catch after defeating his defender on a post-pattern, which would have given him a double digit lead. In the third quarter, he hit his man in the third and the long way, but the ball kept falling at his fingertips and he pulled for it to be way more than he could go down. Of course, it would have been a tough catch. But the best recipients make 'Em. Metcalf would be so much better if he could definitely get his hands on it.
Wilson lost ground in the MVP race. A tough day for the Seahawks quarterback. He threw only his third interception of the season, his efficiency was one of the lowest ranked games (75.4) for performance, and he had difficulty establishing his usual rhythm. He also lost an error in exchange for misconduct with Chris Carson. But he won for the first time in the first quarter after receiving a throwback pass from Carson, Malik Turner - in the air - with a beautiful 33 yard touchdown pass.