PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The battle between overwhelming defense and quick-striking offense was decided Sunday.
There must be a reason they say defense wins championships.
"We never felt threatened," Seahawks corner Richard Sherman said.
Seattle held Philadelphia to 139 net offensive yards as the Seahawks hand the Eagles their first home loss this season, 24-14.
The total was by far the worst offensive outing for Philadelphia (9-4) during the Chip Kelly era, a team that fields the fourth-best offensive eleven, gaining 417 yards every Sunday.
"I might be the most uptight guy on the defense," Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said after, "but even I was dancing today. We expect to dominate every time we step out."
The visiting Seahawks would step out of South Philadelphia with 85 offensive plays called to the Eagles' 45, and held possession for 42 minutes to the Eagles' 18.
"Thought we could do a better job up front," Chip Kelly said afterwards. "Obviously, we didn't get that started the way we wanted to get it started and they did a good job.
"They did a hell of a job on defense."
Seattle's 1st-ranked pass defense held Mark Sanchez to 82 net yards after three sacks, completing 10-of-20 pass attempts, two for touchdowns and one an interception, as the Eagles finished with only two plays over 12 yards.
"If you don't get as many opportunities, you have to make the ones you get count, and we didn't do that," Sanchez said. "We expected to do a lot of things better."
Both the Eagles' touchdowns came courtesy of the Seahawks (9-4).
Their first scoring drive needed only 14 yards after Seattle's Jon Ryan fumbled an early punt attempt. Zach Ertz recovered and returned to the Seahawks 14, and it looked as though the Eagles would take and hold the momentum straight away.
But Seattle's front would establish themselves early as they would the rest of the day, and to get the 1 yard touchdown, Sanchez would have to throw across the field after Jeremy Maclin sneaked away from the formation.
And linebacker Bobby Wagner would extend a third quarter Eagles charge when he was found guilty of interfering with Ertz on a 3rd-and-3 play from midfield. Ertz would haul in a 35 yard touchdown two plays later to bring the home side within three.
Until the Eagles allowed a 91 yard drive on their succeeding possession, aided by Bradley Fletcher's 44 yard interference penalty against receiver Doug Baldwin.
Baldwin would finish that drive, and the Eagles, when he and Russell Wilson connected on the 23 yard go-ahead touchdown.
Seattle outrushed the Eagles 188-57, as the Seahawks' 3rd-best run-stop gave LeSean McCoy only 50 yards on the ground and no scoring, his worst appearance for the Eagles.
His fumble on the first play of the third quarter set the visitors up at the Eagles 19. Two plays and 47 seconds later, Russell Wilson found Marshawn Lynch for a 15 yard passing score.
Lynch rushed 23 times for 86 yards, securing his fourth-straight 1,000 yard campaign. He added 27 yards on 5 catches and a score, though lost a fumble on the team's third-to-last possession.
He would be redeemed when Mark Sanchez was intercepted on the next snap.
"There wasn't a lot to write home about offensively today," Chip Kelly said mournfully.
Russell Wilson completed 22 of his 37 passing attempts for two touchdowns on 263 yards.
His 26 yard touchdown rush brought the contest to a 7-7 tie 43 seconds into the second session. Eagles backer Trent Cole pursued Marshawn Lynch on a fake inside handoff, but Wilson kept and raced around left end untouched for the score.
Seattle holds the top NFC Wild Card position and will battle first-place Arizona Dec. 21st. The Eagles will host the Cowboys in seven days to decide first-place in the NFC East.
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