The Eagles fell heartbreakingly to Seattle on Sunday Night in a game that will be remembered for a long time…unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. Were there any bright spots in the dark loss? Our report card takes a look.
Quarterback:
Carson Wentz struggled against the Seahawks. His 348 yard game looks good on paper, but some key underthrows, overthrows and that costly fumble at the goal-line hang heavy on Monday afternoon. Wentz had his moments of magic, but the Eagles quarterback played his most inconsistent game of the year on Sunday night.
Grade: C
Running back:
The Eagles amassed 98 rushing yards, 2 short of extending their 10-game streak of 100+ to 11. The Birds did find some lucrative success on the ground, but there was no run longer than 12 yards against Seattle’s stern run defense. The Eagles forced Wentz to pass 45 times as they did one year ago and while Jay Ajayi looked angry after every run, there was nothing the Birds could do to really open the offense through the run. Corey Clement was a factor in the passing game, but the Eagles rushing attack looked quieter than usual against the Seahawks.
Grade: C
Offensive line:
Halapoulivaati Vaitai gave up plenty of pressures against Frank Clark and Lane Johnson had his fair share of mishaps too. Jason Kelce put in a stellar performance, but the Seahawks pounded the left hand side of the line and made life incredibly uncomfortable for Carson Wentz, bringing him down 3 times and hitting him 12.
Grade: C-
Tight end:
The concussion to Zach Ertz was tough to swallow, at least until Trey Burton stepped onto the scene. #88 totaled 42 yards in the second half against the Seahawks and filled in valiantly for the team’s leading receiver. Brent Celek was used exclusively as a blocker and helped Big V on numerous occasions, but the Eagles can find comfort knowing that if Ertz ever does go down, it’s not the end of the world.
Grade: B
Wide receiver:
Nelson Agholor’s career day of 141 yards and a touchdown could have been even more dominant if Wentz was on target for just two more passes. Alshon Jeffery tallied 60 yards on the night and Torrey Smith saw the most targets in a single game since week 2 against the Chiefs. The Eagles were forced to pass the ball when fighting from behind, but the receivers were reliable and explosive for the most part. This loss is certainly not on the shoulders of a drop or any wideout miscues.
Grade: B+
Defensive line:
Brandon Graham’s team-leading 1.5 sacks set the tone and Derek Barnett followed suit with one of his own. The defensive line got plenty of pressure to Russell Wilson…but it didn’t really matter because by the time they were in the backfield, Wilson was already 15 yards ahead. The Seahawks quarterback made magic happen last night. If the Eagles were facing any other quarterback, it may well have been sacks galore. But Wilson kept them honest and rendered their impressive efforts minimal.
Grade: B-
Linebacker:
Mychal Kendricks led the team in tackles but bit on a go-route that led to a Seahawks touchdown. Nigel Bradham had a relatively stable game but the unheralded hero here is Najee Goode. Filling in for Joe Walker, Goode had four tackles and one tackle for a loss against Seattle and did an admirable job against an offense with so much versatility.
Grade: B-
Secondary:
Ronald Darby and Malcolm Jenkins both gave up touchdowns prior to the dreaded “Cover-0” play that allowed Doug Baldwin to breeze past Rodney McLeod. The Eagles secondary had a torrid time against the Seahawks and while most traffic was directed over the middle, even Patrick Robinson struggled against Baldwin. This was an uncharacteristic game, but no-doubt upcoming opponents will scour for days to try and exploit it in the weeks to come.
Grade: D
Special Teams:
The Eagles special teams unit was as impressive as it ever has been. Kenjon Barner was effective in the return game, Donnie Jones averaged 41 yards per punt and the Eagles gave up next to no leverage in the return game. A bright spot hidden in a dark loud,
Grade: B
Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
