Earl Thomas may start season, Carroll says

Seahawks safety Earl Thomas may be on his way to returning to the field for the regular season opener after coming back from a lingering shoulder injury he suffered in last season's playoffs.

Head coach Pete Carroll said on Tuesday that Thomas will not be featured in the team's exhibition finale, against the Oakland Raiders, but he would be as ready "as we can get him" when Seattle begins their season on Sept. 13 in St. Louis.

Thomas had surgery for a torn labrum following the Seahawks' appearance in January's Super Bowl, putting him on the sideline for what doctors then presumed would be six to eight months.

With the continued absence of fellow safety Kam Chancellor, as he sits out team activities in search of a new contract, the return of Thomas in any form gives the NFL's best secondary last season a much-needed boost.

Thomas is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, also appearing in the Super Bowl four times, in addition to being named an All-Pro three times in his five professional seasons.

Fred Jackson visiting Seahawks

Fred Jackson might be on the road to a reunion with Marshawn Lynch.

A day after being released by the Bills, Jackson took a flight to Seattle to meet with Seahawks brass, and both sides expect a deal to be done in the near future, according to NFL Media.

Jackson carried for 5,646 yards, the third-most in franchise history, over five seasons with Buffalo before being cut ahead of their final exhibition game.

He and Lynch were a spectacle in the Bills backfield in 2007, when Lynch was a first-round pick and Jackson got his first major pro showing after going undrafted four seasons prior and spending time in NFL Europe.

After acquiring Lynch in 2010, the Seahawks have been looking for his backup. Robert Turbin is the current No. 2 on the depth chart and Christine Michael serves behind him. 

But Jackson would be the front-runner in any backup competition behind Lynch. An able pass catcher and an excellent run or pass blocker, he can provide Beast Mode with some rest on 3rd-down and late-game situations this season.

Smith connects with WR as Chiefs down Seahawks

Alex Smith made a bit of personal history on Friday night as the Kansas City Chiefs downed the Seattle Seahawks 14-13 in each team's second preseason contest.

Of the 18 touchdowns Smith tossed last season, none of them landed in the mitts of a designated wide receiver. Not even in that exhibition campaign did Smith connect with a wide-out anywhere in the vicinity of pay dirt.

Not, indeed, since the fourth day of the 2014 calendar year had Smith achieved the feat, the Chiefs' 45-44 postseason defeat at the hands of Andrew Luck's persnickety Colts. 

That all ended at the 9:56 mark of the opening quarter at Arrowhead Stadium, after Smith found Jeremy Maclin for a 3 yard touchdown to open scoring on the night, capping off an 83 yard drive that gobbled up most of the period.

Smith spearheaded what was until then a lackluster offensive effort, the Chiefs compiling eight yards in as many plays to open the game, but finished a respectable 11-of-18 over the first half on 81 yards, his scoring toss for Maclin, and what became a pick-six in the hands of Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner. 

Wagner, the new beneficiary of a four-year, $43 million contract, swung out from man coverage over center field and stepped in front of tight end James O'Shaughnessy and easily outpaced whoever was left behind in the Chiefs' formation.

A jolt of gumption is in order for the Chiefs' passing scheme, last season a unit that overall lulled around the bottom third of the league in all offensive categories. Under Smith, Kansas City was one of only four other programs to net under 200 yards through the air every Sunday and were exactly average in points scored per game (22.1). 

The man on the other end of Smith's score hopes to be the elixir for their ills in that department this fall. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, Missouri-born, Missouri-educated, is back where he came from, joining the club in free agency after the Chiefs outbid the Eagles, his former squad, to the tune of $55 million. 

Russell Wilson ventured 15 passes for Seattle (0-2), nine of which found somebody, but the Seahawks' crew were as anemic as their hosts in moving the football. Steven Hauschka booted through two from 39 and 27 yards to make it look good.

Philip Rivers got his; is Eli Manning next?

All around him and everywhere he looks, Giants quarterback Eli Manning is surrounded by other guys at his position getting landmark extensions for landmark sums.

The Steelers drowned Ben Roethlisberger in sixty million guaranteed dollars. As did the Seahawks with Russell Wilson, and the Panthers for Cam Newton. Miami doused perpetually average signal caller Ryan Tannehill in $45 million guaranteed, and the Chargers on Saturday gave Philip Rivers an early Christmas bonus.

Four years, $83.3 million for Rivers all told, and the $65 million they guaranteed him is the most for a quarterback in the NFL. The number of Super Bowls currently residing in San Diego? Precisely none. 

And in the Giants' trophy case? Four. Two of which were put there by the younger Manning. Twice as many as the other Manning, the one who was supposed to win them.

So, of course, the negotiations to extend the leader of their pack during those two campaigns must be on, right? Wrong.

Apparently, it takes less time for the United States to get the Supreme Leader of Iran's signature on paper than it does for the Giants to get Eli Manning's John Hancock on one.

Giants co-owner John Mara said as training camp was getting started that some manner of agreement would be had between the two before too long. Manning will be playing the final year of his current contract and this offseason watched two of his cohorts from the 2004 Draft get upgraded, again.

Mara has intimated that these sorts of things are a kind of ritual. The agent, he says, "asks for the moon" before being talked back down to earth by sensible management. For what price Tom Condon, Manning's man in that room, currently believes the moon is worth no one knows. Because no one has asked.

If the transactions in Pittsburgh and San Diego (and Charlotte?) are any indication, it's worth around $60 million guaranteed. 

Report: Kam Chancellor could hold out for more money

When the Seattle Seahawks take note of who shows up to training camp this summer, they may find themselves a man short.

Safety Kam Chancellor is one of a multitude of men around the world who finds himself wanting more money for what he does, and he's willing to miss time until he gets it, according to the NFL Network.

Chancellor, 27, still has three seasons remaining on the deal he signed in 2013 and will be due $5.65 million this season to feature on what last year was the league's best defense.

But his not being there would put that side of the football at a certain disadvantage. Earl Thomas is still recouperating from a shoulder injury sustained last season and the operation he had following the Super Bowl. With his absence at the start of this season a distinct possibility, the Seahawks may find themselves having to listen to Chancellor's demands.

So the three-time Pro Bowl selection has some bargaining power on his side. If he holds out any noticeable amount of time, the Seahawks could be compromised at his position as they seek a trip to their third straight Super Bowl.

@MrJamesParks

Reports: Eagles are front runners for Byron Maxwell

PHILADELPHIA - With a secondary in dire need of reform after a paltry showing last season, the Eagles are on the lookout for some new additions to their defensive backfield.

And after the Seahawks hinted publicly of their doubts to keep cornerback Byron Maxwell when he becomes a free agent, the Eagles may be in play to profit from the Seahawks' possible loss.

Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com, reported this week that Philadelphia was the leading potential landing spot for the 4-year defensive back.

"Since my posting Friday on the belief that the Philadelphia Eagles are the front-runners for Byron Maxwell, additional sources have told me they agree with the assessment and feel Maxwell ends up with the team," he wrote on Monday.

Maxwell is reportedly seeking around $10 million, a number the Eagles could accomodate, having currently more than twice that figure in salary cap space.

Seattle will next season owe corner Richard Sherman north of $12 million and a combined $13.05 million to safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. Maxwell earned $673,000 last season and is looking for a higher payday.

Seahawks: Earl Thomas has surgery, out 6-8 months

SEATTLE - Seahawks All-Pro safety Earl Thomas is expected to be out 6 to 8 months after having surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn labrum and separation in his left shoulder, according to multiple reports, including Ed Werder of ESPN.

Thomas suffered the injury in the NFC Championship Game victory over the Packers. He re-entered that game wearing a harness, and played two weeks later in Seattle's 28-24 loss to New England in the Super Bowl.

It was believed after season's end that Thomas would be ready for training camp, though the new timeline for his rehab will probably put that projection in doubt, and should the longer end of the estimate pan out, perhaps the start of the regular season.

Thomas recorded 97 tackles, three forced fumbles, and an interception last season, his third straight listed as an All-Pro, in the league's best-ranked defense.

Seahawks trick puts Seattle on the board

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Seahawks got on the board courtesy of some trickeration from the home side in the third quarter.

Seattle's special-teams faked out Green Bay in the third quarter as holder Jon Ryan tossed to rookie tackle Garry Gilliam for a 19 yard touchdown play as the Packers lead the Seahawks 16-7.

Gilliam raced around from left end across the field and open into the end zone for the pass as Ryan rolled left and threw against his body over Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk for the Seahawks' first points.

After being sacked for a 15 yard loss by Clay Matthews, Russell Wilson found Doug Baldwin for a 29 yard gain on 3rd-and-19 to the Packers 19. A floater for Marshawn Lynch along the far sideline was knocked out by Sam Barrington on what would have been a goal-to-go play to set up the fake from inside the red zone.

Battle of picks as Packers lead Seattle at half

SEATTLE, Wash. - The theme of Sunday's NFC Championship Game is turnovers.

In what is becoming the Interception Bowl in Seattle, the Seahawks have more turnovers than first downs as they trail the Green Bay Packers 16-0 at the halftime break.

Russell Wilson has completed one pass to the Seahawks and three to the Packers as Seattle was outpassed 115-8 through thirty minutes. Wilson is 1-for-8, the one a 14 yard toss to Ricardo Lockette to convert a 3rd-and-7 that looked to be a promising charge for the home side.

His next pass was, as luck would have, intercepted. Sam Shields, against Jermaine Kearse in the front left corner of the end zone, turned and found the ball as both came down together.

That was Seattle's fourth turnover and Wilson's third interception on the afternoon, and ended a drive begun with an Aaron Rodgers interception, one of his two, to Byron Maxwell.

Both sides exchanged interceptions on their first possessions of the game as Richard Sherman picked Aaron Rodgers in the end zone to end the Packers' first drive. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix would take a deflected pass from Russell Wilson intended, again, for Jermaine Kearse.

Dix intercepted Wilson for a second time for the Seahawks' third turnover on the day at 9:18 in the second quarter. The former Alabama DB secured the catch with one hand after deflecting the pass off his right arm. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was called for roughing Wilson on a block from his blind side, pushing Green Bay to their own 44-yard line.

Jordy Nelson would catch to the Seahawks 35 on a slant toss from Rodgers for a 23 yard gainer before the Seahawks' Byron Maxwell returned the favor on the next play.

Green Bay was held from the end zone on their first three chances, adding three field goals from Mason Crosby, before Randall Cobb hauled in an 18 yard scoring toss from Rodgers to produce a 13-point lead.

Doug Baldwin would fumble a kickoff return in the first quarter after a collision with Green Bay's Brad Jones.

Packers lead Seahawks 13-0 after first

SEATTLE, Wash. - Randall Cobb caught an 18 yard touchdown from Aaron Rodgers on the final play of the first quarter as the Green Bay Packers lead the Seattle Seahawks 13-0 in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Jordy Nelson caught for 15 yards, Eddie Lacy carried for 9, and John Kuhn converted the 3rd-and-1 through the middle. Rookie Richard Rodgers snagged a first down over the middle to the Seahawks 18 to set up the score.

Seattle's Doug Baldwin fumbled a kick return after a collision with Brad Jones, giving Green Bay possession on the Seahawks 23. Eddie Lacy carried for 8 yards and again over the left inside the 10-yard line.

But for the third time out of three chances, the Packers were held from the end zone and Mason Crosby kicked again from 19 yards for the 6-0 lead.

Green Bay's defense took over against the Seahawks on their following possession as quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked by Julius Peppers, celebrating his 35th birthday, and a 3rd-and-10 pass that went high and wide.

Both sides traded interceptions in the first quarter as Richard Sherman picked Rodgers in the end zone to end the Packers first drive, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix returned the favor on the end of a deflected pass from Russell Wilson.

Green Bay outgained Seattle 137-3 in the first frame.

Packers score after turnover exchange

SEATTLE, Wash. - Earl Thomas stuffed Eddie Lacy from a half yard out of the end zone on a 3rd-and-Goal play and Mason Crosby kicked from 18 yards as Green Bay takes a 3-0 lead over the Seahawks in the first quarter of the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Fullback John Kuhn was originally awarded a touchdown from one yard that was taken away after a review.

Green Bay took possession after an exchange of interceptions from both quarterbacks.

Richard Sherman intercepted Aaron Rodgers in the end zone to end the Packers' first possession, a 51 yard drive, skirting past receiver Davante Adams and securing the pass along the back line in the first quarter.

But Green Bay's Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix was on the receiving end of a pass the bounced off the hands of Seattle's Jermaine Kearse, returning to inside the 5, though the visitors were pushed back to the 19-yard line when Packers lineman Mike Daniels was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Green Bay and Seattle last met to open the season, a 36-16 victory for the Seahawks behind two touchdowns from both Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch.

Eagles: What is & what should have never been

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles are gettin' nuttin' for Christmas cause they ain't been nuttin' but bad.

Truth be told, they were only bad near the end, when it counted, dropping three straight contests culminated in lackluster 27-24 defeat at the three-win Washington Redskins last Saturday.

That loss, plus the Cowboys' 42-7 romp over the Colts the next day flung the Eagles from postseason contention after enjoying the lead in the NFC East for most of the season.

"Any time you don't make the playoffs in the National Football League, it's disappointing," head coach Chip Kelly said on Monday. "Not happy with the situation we're in right now. We just can't sit here and feel sorry for yourselves. That's not what this group I'm around will do, and I know that."

Kelly had not lost three games in a row during his stint at Oregon and will miss a postseason for the first time since his New Hampshire side was left out of the FCS playoff in 2003.

"Whether we lose in the playoff game or whether we lost in this fashion, they're both gut-wrenching situations," he said. "We're extremely disappointed. We're frustrated. We understand that."

The worst part of the malaise enveloping the Delaware Valley is how so recently things looked as hopeful then as they look pitiful now.

A Dallas Cowboys team most thought would win four games at best and have a candidate for the worst defense in generations rebounded from a wobbly opening day loss to the 49ers and rattled off six straight behind a stalwart front five and the game's best rusher.

The Cowboys were a solid 8-3 before Philadelphia re-asserted themselves 33-10 in a much-anticipated Turkey Day meeting that would determine tops in the division until a rematch 18 days later.

Apart from that, and with the lowly Redskins and Giants awaiting to serve as appetizers for the postseason, Kelly's would-be second in two years with the team, all that stood in the way was the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. And the Eagles, then 9-3 and undefeated at home, had a fighting chance.

Fielding the second-best sacking group in football and a stable backup quarterback in Mark Sanchez, still in for injured Nick Foles, even should the Seahawks have prevailed, said the theories, surely the Eagles would still have the antidote to the Cowboys' resurgence and slip into the playoffs.

But Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson would strike pay dirt that day en route to a ten-point victory that found the Eagles outgained 440-139. 

"If you don't get as many opportunities, you have to make the ones you get count and we didn't do that," said Mark Sanchez, whose interception late all but sealed the result. 

"We expected to do a lot of things better." Philly held the football for 18 minutes that night to the Seahawks' 42.

Their rematch with Dallas went south from the opening kick, literally, after a muff to start the game that put the Cowboys in the red zone and two minutes later into the end zone.

Dez Bryant caught a career-best three touchdowns that night, all against embattled cornerback Bradley Fletcher. The Eagles would mount a 24-0 blitz in the second half, eventually taking a three-point lead, though DeMarco Murray would put Dallas ahead again soon after and for good.

"I just had a terrible game," Fletcher said that night. Philly was out-possessed by the same margin they had been the previous week.

Robert Griffin would not have a terrible game the next week, tagged as the starter when the upset-seeking Redskins hosted Philadelphia. He threw for 220 yards, completing 16-of-23 passes, including a 23 yard toss to Pierre Garcon that set up the game-winning field goal.

"We wanted to spoil their Christmas and send them home," Griffin said of his rivals, "and we did our part."

Even Cody Parkey couldn't cut it that night, slicing two field goals, including on a drive following a Redskins turnover to open the second half. Parkey missed only two kicks all season before then. 

"We invented ways to lose this game," Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said after. "We did so many things to give it away. Two turnovers, I dropped an interception, they run the same play on [the] goal line for two scores, we miss two field goals, we gave up a couple deep balls, we had a couple penalties on third down."

All of which led to their third loss in three December outings. The first two were worrisome and raised questions, but the third seemed to answer them all, and found the c-word slipping from the mouths of many, young and old.

And as with any proper collapse, or choke should you prefer, those witness to the carnage have their own theories.

Tackle Todd Herremanns thought the root of the team's late troubles came from a lack of discipline.

"I think there's a lot of things that we could list that could've went the other way to help us be in a better spot right now," he told CSN Philadelphia. 

"I hate to say it because we pride ourselves on being a very disciplined team, and when it comes down to it, the last few weeks, we've been very undisciplined with penalties after the snap, during the snap, turnovers. It's just signs -- when you're turning the ball over and you're having unsportsmanlike penalties and stuff, it's just the sign of an undisciplined team."

Philadelphia committed 197 yards of accepted penalties in their last two contests, including an entire field plus two yards at the Redskins.

Two penalties in the end zone that night set up Darrel Young's two 1-yard touchdown rushes in a third quarter that found the Eagles blanked 14-0. 

Unthinkably, they were flagged twice on defense during the eventual game-winning drive.

Their 35 turnovers are the worst in football. Mark Sanchez book-ended his outing in Washington with giveaways, stripped on the Eagles' first drive and his 50th and final pass attempt was intercepted, setting up the Redskins' go-ahead 50 yard charge. 

He was picked twice in the second Cowboys' game on a night that saw Brent Celek lose a fumble, as did LeSean McCoy a week earlier.

"The biggest thing for us as a team is we were really counting our days anyway," Malcolm Jenkins said this week. "We were negative-nine in the turnover ratio [through 12 games], so to even get nine wins with that was surprising.

"Once you hit the month of December where everything rights itself a little bit and teams are fighting for survival, you can't win with that ratio."

The Eagles are sixth-worst in football with a minus-8 turnover margin.

"We were really playing on borrowed time," he added, "and that's starting to show up in these games where we're playing really good teams."

Philadelphia will have a shot at a 10-win campaign on Sunday when travel to the New York Giants.

Seahawks hand Eagles first home loss, 24-14

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.

Seahawks-Eagles preview

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Pete Carroll and Mark Sanchez will hold a USC reunion Sunday when Carroll's Seattle Seahawks travel to the Sanchez-led Philadelphia Eagles.

Sanchez elected to leave Carroll's clutches early, putting his name down for the NFL Draft after the Trojans' victory over Penn State in the 2009 Rose Bowl. Coach Pete Carroll disagreed with that decision publicly, though both have denied any rift still between them.

"I love Mark," Carroll said this week. "We just had a difference of opinion at the time, in that regard. I wasn't going to hold him back."

Sanchez went under center for the Eagles (9-3) after starter Nick Foles broke his clavicle in the team's Week 9 victory at Houston. 

Philadelphia has gone 4-1 under Sanchez, 3-1 with him as starter, as the former Trojan and New York Jet has thrown for 8 touchdowns and 1,404 yards.

He led the Eagles on two first quarter drives of 80 and 88 yards, and a quick 14-0 lead over the Cowboys in their 33-10 rout of their rivals in a much-anticipated Thanksgiving meeting. That game decided first-place in the NFC East, as likely will the rematch when they host Dallas one week from Sunday.

LeSean McCoy rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys, his best mark this season. After a sluggish start that had many questioning his ability, he has gained 289 yards in his last two outings, averaging 6.3 per attempt. That, after 3.7 during his last ten games.

"I think when people starting talking about him earlier in the year, I felt very confident with him. I think that's showing," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said of McCoy's earlier troubles.

McCoy comes out of an Eagles backfield that averages 130 yards per game, the 6th-most of any team in football. Darren Sproles has added 5 rushing touchdowns and leads the game both in kickoff return yards (480) and returned touchdowns (2).

The Eagles' rebound on the ground and the resultant control at the line of scrimmage has opened the way for the Eagles' speedy receivers, and their suddenly speedy quarterback.

"I think he's playing fast," Carroll said of Sanchez. "He's playing with a lot of confidence in the system. It's obviously a system that helps the quarterbacks perform at a high level. The fact that Mark's come off the bench and performed at a high level is really a statement about the program as well as the players."

Jeremy Maclin leads the Eagles receiving, and is 8th league-wide, gaining 1,088 yards through the air this season with 9 touchdowns, the fourth-most in the NFL. Rookie Jordan Matthews has impressed, following with 7 touchdowns and 686 yards.

They will oppose the Seahawks' best-ranked receiving defense, as the defending champions allow a league-low 209 yards every Sunday from wide-outs.

"They're really explosive," Carroll said of the Eagles offense, which averages an offensive snap every twenty-two seconds. "They've got a real style about them. You have to mention Chip [Kelly], and his concepts and approach, when you talk about this offense because it is what he has constructed over the years. It's innovative and it's well-run and designed beautifully."

He should know, after Kelly handed him his worst yardage defeat during his time at USC, a 47-20 loss at the Coliseum when the Oregon Ducks gained 613 total yards.

That experience may have driven him to build what many believe, and what many statistics prove to be, the finest defense in pro football.

Seattle (8-4) also enjoyed a winning Thanksgiving, bullying the 49ers into a 19-3 decision hours after the Eagles' triumph in Texas.

Cornerback Richard Sherman would star in that contest, securing two interceptions, including the game-clincher. Since 2011, he has 23 picks, the most of any man in football, and also the most by a man in his first four seasons in the past quarter-century. 

He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week five days after safety Kam Chancellor was named to the honor following their defeat of the then- 1-loss Cardinals, also by a 19-3 score.

"We're having a good time," Sherman said of the team's title-defense. "We're dedicated to one another right now. When you're on the field playing for one another, we're playing like some 9-year-old, 10-year-old kids, not worrying about the outcome, not worried about individual stats or anything like that."

Their team stats will impress Philadelphia enough.

Seattle boasts the 3rd-best pass defense in football (199.4 ypg) and the 5th-best rush defense, holding backs to only 86 yards on the ground and 3.5 per attempt. 

Philadelphia earns the fourth-most total yards every game (416.2), but Seattle allows the fewest (285.8), and have not permitted a touchdown in the previous two weeks. 

The Eagles score on average the third-most touchdowns per game (3.5), though Seattle allows the 2nd-fewest (1.8).

They have held opposing rushers to under 65 yards in four of their last five games, and in a six game stretch have forced 11 turnovers. Mark Sanchez alone is responsible for eight this season (6 INT, 2 lost fumbles). 

Marshawn Lynch leads the Seahawks backfield, a group that leads football in rushing (168.6 ypg). Lynch has 12 touchdowns on the year, and his 9 rushing give him the best mark in the game alongside DeMarco Murray of Dallas.

That similarity gives the Eagles' defensive front-seven hope, as last week they held Murray to 73 yards on the ground, his season-low, and only the second time this year he was held to under 100 yards.

Lynch has rushed for 100 yards in four appearances this season for Seattle.

"Nobody runs the ball harder," was the assessment of Billy Davis, who coaches the 12th-best rush defense in the NFL, allowing 108 yards from tailbacks.

"It's nice that we're facing those two big downhill runners back to back," Davis said of playing against Lynch and Murray in succession. "We know what it's about. It takes a swarm tackle. You can't arm tackle Marshawn Lynch. It's got to be a fully body swarm with all the effort to get the ball."

Davis' eleven lead the league in defensive-caused fumbles (5), though themselves have lost a 2nd-worst 1 per game, behind only the Giants.

"He breaks a lot of tackles and he fights for those extra yards. I think that's one thing he does better than any running back in this league," Eagles linebacker Casey Matthews said of the back this week. 

Lynch leads football with 61 broken tackles.

"You need a lot of guys at the ball bringing him down because he's tough to bring down with just one guy."

When Lynch won't have the Eagles on their toes, or on their backs, play-extender extraordinaire, quarterback Russell Wilson, will.

"He has great pocket awareness, and the one thing he doesn't do is he doesn't put himself in harm's way," Chip Kelly said of Wilson. "He's not looking to run people over, he's literally looking to go first down, touchdown, and get down."

Wilson has thrown 15 touchdowns, rushing for four more on the ground as the team's second-best rusher by scoring and yardage (679).

He was, however, sacked 11 times in his last two outings, and on Sunday will be chased by the league's second-best and NFC's foremost sacking unit (42).

A group that easily found their way past the Cowboys' vaunted front-five last Thursday, getting to Tony Romo four times, adding seven hits. 

Connor Barwin's 12 1/2 sacks are the best in the NFC and second-best in football. 

Through the air, it will be a battle between the sub-standard, Wilson's 29th-ranked pass, and the pathetic, the Eagles' 26th-ranked pass defense (258.6 ypg). Given time, though, Wilson may strike against perpetual long-bomb victims Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams, the Eagles' woeful corners.

Doug Baldwin leads the Seahawks receiving with 519 yards and two of Wilson's touchdowns, and his 7 receptions of 20 or more yards leads the team. 

Seattle's remaining road games are against opponents with a 12-0 record. Philadelphia is 6-0 at home this season.