The Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks will meet in a Battle of the Bird this weekend, as the two teams will play in one of the more intriguing match-ups on the NFL Week 11 schedule. Both teams are coming off impressive wins last week and will be hoping to continue their ascent this week.
The Eagles were squarely in the danger zone heading into Week 10 after losing four of their last five games. But a convincing win over the Atlanta Falcons has them back on the right track. However, Philadelphia’s birds are just 5-4 and find themselves at the bottom of a competitive division and in the middle of a crowded race for the NFC’s two wild card spots.
ONLY 2 teams in the NFL are allowing FEWER points per game than the Eagles “D”
•16.9: Vikings •17.6: Seahawks •17.8: Eagles #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/rPpHwFfRFE
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) November 14, 2016
As for the Seahawks, after their take down of the New England Patriots last week, many are remembering how good of a coach Pete Carroll can be. Seattle is now being considered by many to be perhaps the only team in the NFC that can challenge the Dallas Cowboys this season. Of course, the Seahawks have had a few disappointing moments this season, and so they will need to keep building on the momentum they have and not take a step backwards against the Eagles this week.
Here are five bold predictions for this week’s game between the Eagles and Seahawks, a game of great importance for both sides.
Ryan Matthews Proves To Be One-Week Wonder
Matthews was huge during Philadelphia’s win over the Falcons last week, carrying the ball 19 times and rushing for over 100 yards for the first time this season. He also found the end zone twice, and has scored four touchdowns in his last three games. However, that will all be short-lived, as Matthews faces a stout Seattle defense this week. Expect Matthews to struggle early in the game, forcing the Eagles to go back to Darren Sproles as their primary ball carrier, relegating Matthews to a reserve role once again.
The Old Russell Wilson Shows Up
Wilson has had his ups and downs this season, but he was great against the Patriots, and CBS Sports is reporting that Seattle’s starting quarterback is almost back to full health . If Wilson is close to healthy, we’ll see the old Russell Wilson on Sunday, the guy that helped lead his team to a pair of Super Bowl appearances. With a little more mobility, he’ll be a handful for Philadelphia’s defense and make things difficult for the Eagles all game long.
Sunday Night wrap-up: Russell Wilson sure looks healthy again in win over Patriots, presented by @VW https://t.co/oRo7gu5Azf pic.twitter.com/FpVhylkQC2
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 14, 2016
Carson Wentz Has Rough Afternoon
Wentz has had a strong rookie year and played well last week, but he’s in for a rude awakening this week against Seattle’s defense, especially in Seattle. Sunday’s game will be the toughest road environment Wentz has ever played in between his college and pro career. He’s displayed poise and maturity beyond his years this season, but he’s not ready to play a road game in Seattle.
C.J. Prosise Continues To Be Go-To Playmaker
Seattle’s rookie running back was a revelation last week in his first NFL start, and one should expect the Seahawks to continue feeding him the ball. The Seattle Times reports that Carroll has been waiting all year to introduce Prosise to the league , and now that he has, the rookie could completely change Seattle’s rushing attack for the rest of the season. Prosise had 24 touches against the Patriots last week, as he also became a factor in the passing game. The rookie should get at least that many touches this week, as the Seahawks will give him the ball as many times as possible.
Seahawks Win Defensive Struggle
These are two of the best defensive teams in the NFL, and so it’s hard not to imagine this game being a low-scoring slugfest. Scoring opportunities will be few and far between, but with Wilson closer to full health, he’ll be able to use his legs to extend drives for the Seahawks, and that will help Seattle finish a couple more drives with points, helping the Seahawks beat the Eagles in a close game. Seattle wins 16-10.
[Featured Image by Evan Habeeb/Getty Images]