SEAHAWKS @ EAGLES
Shane Bullen
Game of the Week in my opinion falls upon Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia this Sunday evening as the Eagles (9-3) play host to the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks (8-4).
Both teams are coming off impressive Thanksgiving Day road wins against their fiercest division rivals. The Seahawks went to San Francisco and took care of the 49ers with ease; a 19-3 victory which saw their much renowned defense take big steps to recovering last seasons form. The Eagles traveled to Texas to meet the Cowboys & just as easily saw them off with a dominant 33-10 win with All-Pro RB Lesean McCoy (pictured right) recording his first consecutive 100+yd games of the season with a 159yd & 1TD performance on Thursday afternoon.
After being placed in the Who's Not column two weeks ago by myself, the Legion of Boom have stepped up big time, with Byron Maxwell recording an interception last week & Richard Sherman picking off 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick this past week twice. Not to be over-shadowed by the secondary however, the Seattle defense as a whole has kept the Cardinals & 49ers, two major NFC West rivals, to just 6 points in the previous two weeks. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has recorded tidy figures the past two weeks, but his protection has to be an issue for concern as he has been sacked 11 times in 2 weeks.
Whilst Philadelphia's home record of 6-0 is impressive, the teams that have traveled to 'The Linc' have an average win percentage of .250. Their biggest test of the season awaits this Sunday. The dynamic Chip Kelly offense has seen LeSean McCoy regain some much needed form ahead of the playoffs as I mentioned earlier, he has not only recorded consecutive 100+yd games, but also back-to-back games in which he has ran in for a TD. A sight which has every right to get Eagles fans excited.
QB Mark Sanchez is beginning to link up with No.1 receiver Jeremy Maclin well and that will be very important come Sunday as the Eagles 6th rank running game will be in a huge battle with Seattle's 5th rank running defense.
Defensively, LB's Connor Barwin & Trent Cole have an opportunity to pressure Wilson & put the Seattle offense under the pump & force throws to an average receiving unit. On the other hand, if Sanchez is forced to make throws against this Seattle secondary, I can see a mistake happening late in the game & Seattle holding on.
SEATTLE by 3.