Eagles vs Seahawks in Defensive Struggle

The last time the Philadelphia Eagles visited the Seattle Seahawks, the quarterbacks were Vince Young and Tarvaris Jackson. That was five years ago; this Sunday’s rematch (4:25 PM ET, CBS) in Seattle will look remarkably different, with rookie Carson Wentz piloting the Eagles and three-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson leading the Seahawks.

Here’s another big difference: Seattle (6-2-1 SU, 5-4 ATS) was a 3-point home dog in that 2011 contest. At press time, the ‘Hawks are 6.5-point favorites for Sunday’s tilt with a total of 44.5. Although these are two of the best defenses in the NFL, the OVER is 5-4 for each team in 2016; the Eagles (5-4 SU and ATS) have padded their stats with two kick returns for touchdowns, plus a pick-six and a safety. Seattle has just the lone fumble return thus far.

It speaks to the quality of the two quarterbacks in question. Wilson hasn’t done much scrambling this year, but his passing game is still Top 10 in the league according to efficiency. Wentz is holding his own for a rookie; however, his numbers for the year are those of a replacement-level quarterback. Philly’s defense and special teams are the ones driving the bus.