*In a battle of do-it-all MVP contenders, Russell Wilson outplayed and out-wowed Carson Wentz, leading his Seattle Wilsons Seahawks (8-4) to a 24-10 upset over the Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) on Sunday Night Football in Week 13: *
- As Russell Wilson goes, this Seahawks offense, and team, goes. And boy, was he moving on Sunday evening. Utilizing his trademark scrambling-in-the-round style of play to perfection, Wilson spent all night baiting and evading Philadelphia's fierce front seven and creating big plays out of sure-fire disasters. Wilson came into Sunday's prime-time clash amounting for 82.5 percent of Seattle's offense. While this time he benefited from a solid ground game, the Seahawks svengali still carried the offense on his back, legs, arm, etc., accounting for 83.2 percent of Seattle's production. Wilson threw three touchdowns, two of which came on second-half drives of 10-plus plays. With his game-sealing fourth-quarter score, Wilson tied Giantsstarting quarterback Eli Manning (2011) for the most TD passes in the fourth quarter in a single season with 15.
Seattle's offense is so reliant on Wilson to make plays, you'd think at some point the magic has to run out. You'd think. Wilson is enjoying a run of play that should guarantee him a seat at the MVP table, alongside Wentz and Tom Brady. The renaissance QB has Seattle, without Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, within striking distance of a playoff spot and even the NFC West crown.
- In an uncharacteristic showing, Philly lost its second game of the season Sunday night thanks to a rash of poor decision-making and missed opportunities on four consecutive mid-game drives. It started late in the first half when the Eagles botched their first trip inside the Seahawks' red zone with an Alshon Jeffery holding penalty and conservative play-calling; the drive resulted in three points. Philly mismanaged the clock on the next drive, the last of the half, punting on a fourth-and-1 in Seattle territory instead of trusting Wentz to make a play. On the first drive of the second half, the Eagles strode down the field in 11 plays, only to have Wentz fumble the ball out of the end zone one yard from pay dirt. One drive later, Philly, feeling the heat from Wentz's mistake, eschewed a makable field goal and instead turned the ball over on downs on Seattle's 25. Not to mention, the Eagles gifted Seattle four first downs via penalty -- Philadelphia committed seven for 64 yards on the night.
The worst gaffe of all, though, came on Seattle's final TD drive when Wilson apparently lateraled the pigskin, while well past the line of scrimmage, to Mike Davis to convert a third-and-8. On replay, it was clear that the toss, though intended to go backward, was actually a forward pass by a full yard. But Doug Pederson, perhaps gun-shy about losing his final challenge, chose not to throw the red hankie. The result? Seattle scored a touchdown four plays later, and Philly's fate was sealed.
- This week on Seahawks Tailback Carousel: Mike Davis steals the show! Davis, a third-year back who had previously played in just one game for Seattle, became the fourth different Seahawks player in as many weeks to lead the team in rushing. When Wilson wasn't literally running circles around Philly's front, Davis (64 rushing yards) was running through them. On his third-quarter 22-yard dash, Davis made three Eagles defenders miss tackles, making a once stout Philadelphia second level look foolish. Sunday night was a reminder to 12s and fantasy owners alike: Seattle's running back room is an ever-evolving enigma, one no one, including opponents, understands.
- Wentz nearly matched Wilson's wizardry play for play. On Philly's only touchdown drive, Wentz outdid the Seahawks slinger, finding Nelson Agholor (seven catches, 141 yards) twice for a combined 78 yards following two improvised scrambles and off-balance heaves. It was hard not to marvel, mouth agape, at Wentz's combination of Wilson's maneuverability and Big Ben's strength on those out-of-pocket efforts. If not for his inexcusable goal-line fumble, Wentz (348 yards) would have played a clean, brilliant game in one of the league's harshest atmospheres. The Eagles had their nine-game winning streak snapped and lost their stranglehold on NFC home-field advantage, but at least Wentz came to play.
- Seattle won its second game in a row without Sherman and Chancellor, and credit goes to a standout effort from the Seahawks' front seven. Led by Frank Clark (2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss) and Bobby Wagner (13 tackles, 2 TFL), Seattle frustrated Wentz and forced him to rush throws. In the secondary, backup safety Bradley McDougald was all over the field, tallying 12 tackles, two passes defensed and a QB hit. Maybe the Seahawks defense, sans Boom, will be fine after all.
- Philly's loss knocks them from the top seed in the NFC. Tied with the Minnesota Vikings at 10-2, Wentz and the Eagles have a fascinating matchup with Jared Goff's Los Angeles Rams (9-3) slated for next week. Seattle gets the rival Rams in two weeks, but not before traveling diagonally across the continent to Duval to take on the Sacksonville Jaguars (8-4). The Seahawks are currently in the fifth seed, but are tied with the Carolina Panthers at 8-4.
