The Seattle Seahawks head to Philadelphia this week after a few extra days rest. The Eagles are currently keeping the NFC East throne warm, as well as occupying the three seed in the playoff picture. The Eagles have a 9-3 record, tied with the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and Arizona Cardinals for the best record in the league. If Seattle is going to prove that they’re truly back to their Super Bowl winning form, a road win against Philadelphia is going to be crucial. Here are five things the Seahawks can do to climb the ranks in the NFC.
1. Set the tempo
One of the first things that anyone ever talks about when the Eagles are brought up is their high-tempo offense. The Eagles boast the third highest scoring offense in the league (31.3 points per game) and will face a Seahawks defense that allows the fewest yards per game (285.5). If Seattle’s defense can set the tempo of the game early, that’ll throw Philadelphia off its usual course of controlling the game.
2. Score in the red zone
It’s no secret that Seattle has had trouble scoring touchdowns in the red zone this season, but it’s been even worse as of late. The Seahawks rank 26th in the league in red zone efficiency this season (47.17%) but have only come away with touchdowns 26.67% of the time in the last three games. With the extra few days rest, hopefully Marshawn Lynch will be ready to go and they’ll be able to feed the beast in the red zone.
3. Control the clock
Philadelphia is 29th in average time of possession, only having the ball 27:45 compared to Seattle’s 31:25. The Eagles typically run 80 to 85 snaps per game, keeping the time between snaps under 20 seconds. Keeping their offense off the field is going to be a crucial key to taming their fast-paced offense.
4. Pound the rock
Seattle’s league best rushing attack is going to need to be at peak levels if they want to come out of Philly alive. Rushing for an average of 168.6 yards per game (the Cowboys are next with 145.3), the Seahawks are going to need to keep it on the ground, which will also help to control the clock and keep Philly’s offense off the field. The Eagles’ defense allows an average of 107.7 rushing yards per game so attacking early with Beast Mode is going to be crucial for offensive success.
5. Three and Outs
The NFL’s best defense is back in full attack mode, having only allowed a combined six points over the last two games. With Philly’s high-flying offensive attack, getting stops early and often is going to be incredibly important to keeping them from wearing out the Legion of Boom. The less than 20-seconds between snaps makes it extremely difficult to substitute players in and out, which Seattle loves to do on defense. If Seattle is going to continue substituting guys at will, they’re going to have to do it very, very quickly. Limiting the offensive production on the field is going to help keep the defense rested and not completely worn down by the half, which many of Philly’s opponents seem to have experienced.
As I stated before, Philadelphia sits atop the NFL at 9-3. Philly’s three losses? The Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and the Arizona Cardinals. All teams the Seahawks have previously beaten (the last two without a hitch). Looking at their schedule, the Eagles seem to win in two’s: win two, lose a game, win two, lose a game. The Eagles have won two in a row, so it’s time for the pattern to continue. Seahawks win by a touchdown.