DK Metcalf vs man coverage, Chris Carson’s return among Seahawks’ keys at Eagles
Signs were already pointing to the Seahawks getting back to the run in Philadelphia.
Then the weather moved in.
Tornado warnings dotted around Philadelphia late Monday afternoon, and a tornado watch extended until about an hour before the 5:15 p.m. Pacific Time kickoff of the Seahawks and Eagles.
It’s the return game for Seattle lead running back Chris Carson from missing four games with a sprained foot.
The afternoon forecast for game time was for only a slight chance of rain, 58 degrees and winds at 17 mph gusting to 30. But minutes before kickoff the flags atop the stadium were moving only lightly. The rain had stopped and the wind had died down to about 10 mph.
The wind inside Lincoln Financial Field, which has open corners on the north side (on the left as you watch on television) was a factor in the Seahawks’ game at Philadelphia last regular season. It blew a would-be touchdown pass from Russell Wilson away from DK Metcalf at the goal line that November, 2019 day.
It blew a Wilson pass to wide-open Jacob Hollister in the end zone far over the tight end’s head. The wind also knocked down a punt by All-Pro Michael Dickson to just 27 yards, one of the shorter ones of his career.
That was a reported 17-mph wind that day.
Here are the key players for the Seahawks’ chance to take a full-game lead over the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West:
1. DK Metcalf dominated the Eagles in these teams’ last meeting. He set an NFL rookie playoff record with 160 yards on seven catches in nine targets from Russell Wilson, as the Seahawks eliminated Philadelphia in the first round of last season’s playoffs.
The Eagles tried to play man-to-man coverage against the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Metcalf that night. They are trying to play even more man coverage this season. Expect plenty of targets for Metcalf from Wilson Monday night.
2. Philadelphia has traded for three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay since that playoff loss to Seattle. The 2017 All-Pro is likely to get the bulk of coverage assignments against Metcalf.
The Eagles’ pass defense is sixth in the NFL allowing just 209 yards per game. This season, Metcalf has beaten reigning league defensive player of the year Stefon Gilmore for a key touchdown in Seattle’s week-two win. He had a touchdown pass go off his facemask against Arizona’s Patrick Peterson last week. Patrick Ramsey of the Rams limited Metcalf to two catches on four targets this month. Expect shadow coverage from Slay on Metcalf Monday. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz entered this season intending for Slay to take opponents’ top receivers all over fields.
3. When teams have used shadow coverage on Metcalf this season, the Seahawks have often featured Tyler Lockett instead. When Peterson shadowed Metcalf in Arizona last month, Wilson threw 20 times to Lockett for the veteran receiver’s career game: 15 catches, 200 yards and three touchdowns. When Ramsey shadowed Metcalf two weeks ago, Lockett had nine targets, five more than any other Seahawk had in that game. If Slay is shadowing Metcalf Monday, Lockett may get the chance to be huge again.
4. Eagles coach Doug Pederson spent some of this past week answering why he hasn’t benched Carson Wentz and played Jalen Hurts. Philadelphia’s franchise quarterback has a league-leading 14 interceptions. His decisions such as floating a pass outside short against his goal line for an easy interception touchdown by the Browns in a low-scoring loss at Cleveland last weekend are why the Eagles have three wins in 10 games. Yet Philadelphia remains in first place in the horrid NFC East. That’s why Wentz will start again against the Seahawks. The Eagles’ season remains intact and they are playing for a home playoff game.
Yet word from Philadelphia is Hurts, a dual run-pass threat, will see his most snaps of his rookie season Monday night.
5. Wentz’s job would be easier if his two best targets, tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, would have played Monday. But Ertz remained on injured reserve. He hasn’t played since Oct. 18 because of an ankle injury.
With Alshon Jeffery hurt again this season the Eagles have no wide receivers that threaten defenses down the field. Goedert will be perhaps the top threat to damage Seattle’s pass defense that’s been ranked last in the NFL almost all season.
