Zone Read: Eagles-Seahawks, the Day After
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN…
1. The Bradley Fletcher 44-yard pass interference call?
With the Eagles down by three in the third quarter, Wilson launched a pass down the right sideline to Doug Baldwin. Fletcher appeared to have good coverage, but there was contact, and he was whistled for pass interference.
“I turned around and knocked the ball away and I was just called for that penalty,” Fletcher said afterwards. “I don’t know what to say about it. I wasn’t expecting a call, but that’s what was called so that’s how it goes.”
Credit Baldwin for his honest assessment.
“I’m actually not even a read on that play,” he told reporters. “I’m clearing it out for somebody else. But when I saw the ball in the air and I saw the defender looking back at me, I just wanted to run into him to try create contact and try to create a penalty situation. It just happens like that sometimes.”
It actually looked like the two players were embracing for a giant hug. But Fletcher was called for the penalty. The Seahawks got into the end zone four plays later.
2. What happened on Sanchez’s interception in the fourth quarter?
Mychal Kendricks forced a Marshawn Lynch fumble, and it looked like the Eagles might have one last chance to make it a game. On the first play after the offense took the field, Sanchez felt some pressure, stepped up in the pocket and fired off-target downfield to Riley Cooper on a post. Seahawks CB Tharold Simon came up with the interception.
“I just missed the landmark to Coop,” Sanchez said. “I just missed it. I was kind of flushing forward and I didn’t get everything that I wanted on the ball. It was just a bad throw.”
I went up to Cooper at his stall to get his perspective.
“Ow! Cramp!” he yelled, jokingly grabbing his leg as he walked away and exited the locker room. “I already got that question.”
Here’s what Cooper told Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com.
“Was it a miscommunication?” Cooper said. “No. [Sanchez] knew the the route. I knew the route. I ran the route. He threw the ball.”
The Eagles had two key turnovers. Along with the interception, LeSean McCoy fumbled on the first play of the second half, leading directly to a Seahawks touchdown.
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THE NUMBER THAT MATTERS: 96
That’s how many passing yards the Eagles totaled in this game.
This was only the second time all season a quarterback attempted at least 20 passes and failed to total 100 yards. The first was Andy Dalton, who went 10-for-33 for 86 yards against the Browns in Week 10. So at least Sanchez did better than that.
Against Seattle, he went 10-for-20 for 96 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. At halftime, he had only completed one pass that gained more than 6 yards. In all, the Eagles had one pass play that gained 20+ yards.
We mentioned last week that the idea of this being a matchup between an offensive juggernaut and a defensive juggernaut was off-base. The Eagles have been mediocre on offense for much of the season. And on Sunday, it seemed like they could have been awarded four more quarters and still not exceeded the 24 points that the Seahawks totaled.
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THE BEST OF 140
K.J. Wright said #Seahawks held Eagles to so many 3 & outs guys on defense were complaining they weren’t playing enough.
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 8, 2014
Ouch.
Chip Kelly blames Widener coach Mike Kelly for the Eagles loss to the Seahawks. — Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) December 8, 2014
Nice job there by BLG.
Mark Sanchez will have a more authentic Philadelphia experience than last time if he goes to Geno’s tonight.
— Arkansas Fred (@ArkansasFred) December 8, 2014
Probably my favorite Tweet of the night.
If I could start The #Seahawks Sideline as a receiver, I would dominate my fantasy league. — Michael Tanier (@MikeTanier) December 7, 2014
Not sure, but I’m assuming this came after Wilson stood in the pocket and kept throwing the ball out of bounds at the end of the first half.
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