Eagles at Seahawks preview and predictions

After last week’s DVOA Bowl, in which the Eagles top ranked defense defeated the Falcons top ranked offense, the Eagles face another bird named team in another DVOA Bowl. This time it’s the #1 overall team in the Eagles against the #2 overall team in the Seahawks.

Seattle are coming off a Sunday Night Football win against the Patriots to improve to 6-2-1, a record that doesn’t speak to how close Seattle’s games have been this season: four of their wins are by a touchdown or less, two of them by two points. It’s similar to the 5-4 Eagles, whose record does indicate how close their games have been: four losses have come by a touchdown or less. Neither team has given up 30 points, and combined they have scored 30+ points just three times. This has all the makings of a close game.

For the defenses, their strengths align with the opponent’s game plan. The Eagles have one of if not the best passing defenses in the league, getting to the QB (4th in sack percentage), getting turnovers (6th) and generally making QBs inefficient against them (5th best passer rating against). Seattle’s running game has struggled this season, but Russell Wilson is still Russell Wilson, and he’s hot: 6 touchdowns (1 rushing) and no turnovers in his past two games.

The Seahawks are, as you would expect, no slouches, they are 2nd in sack percentage, 18th in turnovers and 7th in passer rating. But they’re even better against the run, they have the 2nd best yards per carry against and the 2nd best run defense DVOA. However they have given up 9 rushing TDs in 9 games, compared to the Eagles 4. The Eagles have won without a good running game this season, and they’ll likely have to find a way again if they want to pull of the upset.

This should be a hard fought, close game between to outstanding defenses.

Predictions

Score: Seahawks 17, Eagles 10

Bold prediction: Seattle turns the ball over twice

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