The defeat suffered by the Philadelphia Eagles against the Seattle Seahawks is the most difficult to accept thus far.
Experiencing back-to-back defeats at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, with a combined score of 75-32, was one thing for the Philadelphia Eagles. However, their Monday night loss to the Seattle Seahawks, marking their third consecutive defeat and fourth of the season, is arguably the most bitter pill to swallow.
On a micro level, the Seahawks, who had previously suffered four consecutive losses, faced uncertainty about their starting quarterback until shortly before the game. Despite Geno Smith being active, the Seahawks opted to keep him on the sideline due to an ongoing groin injury, giving Drew Lock his second consecutive start. Acquired from the Denver Broncos in the March 2022 Russell Wilson trade, Lock, while likable, lacks substantial evidence to support him being a starting-caliber NFL quarterback.
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Before Lock’s go-ahead touchdown pass to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he threw multiple passes on the game-winning drive that easily could have been intercepted. Despite opportunities for the Eagles’ defense to seal the game, they failed to capitalize, and Lock orchestrated a 92-yard touchdown drive.
On a larger scale, the Eagles missed a chance to gain ground on the 10-4 Dallas Cowboys, who were defeated by the Buffalo Bills. While the Eagles are expected to be heavy favorites in their remaining three games against the 5-9 New York Giants and the 3-11 Arizona Cardinals, there’s a note of caution regarding quarterback Jalen Hurts. Under first-year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Hurts has struggled with turnovers, and the team’s offensive strategy has been criticized for its reliance on predictable screen passes, quarterback draws, and contested catches by receiver A.J. Brown.
Although mathematically not eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, it seems unlikely that the Eagles will secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage, with the 11-3 San Francisco 49ers holding a two-game lead. Additionally, the winner of the NFC East is not guaranteed the No. 2 seed, as the 10-4 Detroit Lions present strong competition.
The prevailing prediction is that the Eagles will finish the season with a 13-4 record, but concerns linger about their postseason prospects. Despite potentially winning a Wild Card game or even the Divisional Round, the consensus is that this version of the Eagles may face challenges advancing to the Super Bowl, especially considering their recent three-game losing streak.
