Philadelphia Eagles Fail Their First Real Test of 2017
By Erik Lambert
People were ready to crown the Philadelphia Eagles as they stampeded through the early portions of their schedule. As time goes on, it may have been premature.
It turns out 10 of their first 11 games were played against teams with records of .500 or worse. Perhaps a warning sign that they were a good team gobbling up an easy schedule. Their biggest test of the season would come at the start of December when they headed up to Seattle to face the always dangerous Seahawks. As it turns out, the Super Bowl celebration probably should be put on hold until further notice.
Now to be fair losing to the Seahawks in Seattle is nothing to feel ashamed of. At the same time the Eagles have begun to show some disturbing tendencies when they play against good defenses. Chief among them failing to protect the football. Carson Wentz fumbled twice, lost one of them and threw an interception. This a week after the Bears, banged up as they were, took it away three times. In fact the Eagles have turned it over at least once in seven of their last eight games.
Carson Wentz goes DEEEEEP.
— NFL (@NFL) December 4, 2017
But his pass is PICKED off by @BMaxx41. #PHIvsSEA https://t.co/QmDOw6oWFN
Despite being such a good offense, they’re proving to be a sloppy one.
Wentz also taking a lot of hits and sacks
If that weren’t bad enough, their prized QB is also taking his fair share of blows over the past couple months. He’s been sacked 14 times in the past seven games. Four of them featured at least three. Suffice to say the guy has taken his fair share of licks. Wentz is of course tough and has handled it well but everybody knows it’s only a matter of time before one of those hits gets the wrong spot on the body.
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There is no reason for this team to panic yet. They’re still the best in the NFC but this is the first warning sign that it’s no time to get cocky. The NFC is not going to be the cakewalk that many Philly fans undoubtedly saw it as when their team was blowing opponents out left and right. They’ve yet to go against the varsity this year. Seattle was just the first test and they failed.