Carson Wentz, Eagles' Banged-Up Offense Struggles Immensely Again In Loss To Seahawks
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was another ugly Sunday afternoon in South Philadelphia. Carson Wentz and the Eagles' banged-up offense struggled immensely once again in a 17-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles were missing a handful of their starters -- including wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor and running back Jordan Howard -- and Wentz struggled to make plays, overthrowing and underthrowing his receivers all day.
"We ask a lot of our quarterback and a lot of Carson, and the one thing you can't do in that position is just put pressure on yourself to perform. I think sometimes you feel like the offense is struggling, you feel like you have to make a play and you've just got to kind of let the game unfold, let the offense unfold, just let everybody work for you and don't feel like you've got to make every play," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said.
Wentz also struggled with protecting the ball, throwing two interceptions and fumbling three times -- two of which were lost. He was 33 of 45 for 256 yards and was sacked three times with a late-game touchdown to Zach Ertz.
"I have to be better, I have to lead this team better," Wentz said. "I got to protect the football better, can't put it on the ground the way we did. That starts with me. That starts with me and I'm frustrated. I know everyone's frustrated with this loss offensively. Like I said, turning the ball over, starts with me I got to be better."
Miles Sanders had a wide-open lane to the end zone late in the first quarter, but Wentz overthrew him, which led to a field goal.
When asked what happened on the short throws he missed, Wentz didn't make any excuses he says he simply "missed them."
Brandon Brooks left in the first half with an illness and did not return. Without Lane Johnson and Brooks, the Eagles' offensive line struggled to protect Wentz, but the quarterback has confidence in the "next man up."
"I thought the guys up front fought their butts off and did what they could. I let them down," Wentz said.
For the fourth consecutive game, the Eagles' defense allowed 17 or fewer points -- tying the Los Angeles Rams for the longest active streak in the NFL. And for the fifth consecutive game, the Birds' defense held the opposing offense to 225 passing yards or less.
This time, the Birds contained MVP candidate Russell Wilson to just 200 yards with one touchdown. They also intercepted Wilson once.
Wilson was under pressure throughout the game as the Birds hit him 10 times and sacked him six times.
Despite the defense's strong effort, though, the Birds' offense couldn't find any momentum.
"I think obviously the defense is playing at a high level right now. They held that team to 17 points. Our defense is playing with a lot of confidence so it's up to us [the offense] to find a way to win football games. That's the most important thing," Ertz said.
Ertz became the second player in Eagles history to record 500 career receptions. He caught 12 of 14 targets for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Wentz went to the locker room for x-rays after injuring his hand while trying to make a tackle on a fumble in the third quarter and the results came back negative. Pederson says he will undergo further testing.
The Eagles head to Miami next Sunday for a matchup with the Dolphins.
