Seahawks versus Eagles: 3 keys for Seattle to win

The 8-2 Seahawks play the 5-5 Eagles on Sunday but Philadelphia is at home and favored. Here are three things Seattle needs to do to win in week 12.

The Eagles might be 5-5 but they still have a very real chance of winning their division, the NFC East. Put Philadelphia in the Seahawks division, the NFC West, and the Eagles would be cooked. But they aren’t and that makes them a dangerous team.

A desperate team is a difficult team to defeat, especially one with talent. And the Eagles have talent. Fortunately for Seattle, Philadelphia might be without two of the top receivers and will definitely be without right tackle Lane Johnson. Of course, Seattle could be without Jadeveon Clowney.

So what do the Seahawks need to do to win in week 12? Here are three things.

Stop the Eagles run game

Carson Wentz is a good quarterback for the Eagles, though he gets a lot of gruff from Philadelphia fans. Maybe it is because if one takes out the 2017 season when Wentz was 11-2, he would have a losing record on some good Eagles teams. Still, in the last three seasons he has thrown 70 touchdown passes against just 18 interceptions. Wentz can beat the Seahawks, but he could also be without Nelson Agholor and Alshon Jeffery.

Philadelphia gets back Jay Ajayi this week but he will be rusty after missing all of the season so far. I think that the Eagles will still try to run the ball a bunch with so many injuries at wideout. Therefore, Seattle must stop the run first and hope that Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers can be very good at cornerback in one on one situations. Plus, there is a big question at nickel now that Seattle released veteran Jamar Taylor. Seattle’s first priority in week 12, however, is stopping the Eagles from running well and eating clock.

Stop the turnovers!

How did the Seahawks defeat the 49ers in a game where they turned the ball over 1,834 times (actually it was four)? A bit of luck really. But Chris Carson is still struggling with holding onto the ball and he needs to have a good game on Sunday. This is going to be a close game so a key turnover or four will get Seattle a loss. Hold on to the ball, please, Seattle.

Let Russell Wilson be Russell Wilson

Wilson doesn’t run nearly as much as he used to but he might need to against the Eagles. Philadelphia’s defense has played really well the last three weeks and is good at stopping the run. Philadelphia is fourth against the run in the NFL. So even though Seattle will want to run Carson a bunch, they need to do a bit of what they did against Tampa Bay: Throw often and early.

More than that, though, Wilson needs to use his legs earlier in the game. He is obviously elusive and can beat a team picking up chunk yards late. But Wilson needs to start breaking containment and getting yards up the middle earlier in week 12. Staying on the field and scoring 21 points should get the Seahawks a victory and Wilson picking up yards on the ground will be key to that.