Quarterback Carson Wentz was off his game and the Eagles had no answer to the Russell Wilson problem when they travelled to Seattle to play a pivotal NFC game on Sunday Night Football. Throw in a fumble at the half-yard line and a forward lateral that went unchallenged by head coach Doug Pedersen and you have the reasons why the Eagles had their nine-game winning streak snapped and have to go at least one more week before they can claim the East Division their own, falling short to the Seahawks, 24-10.

Wentz overthrew a wide-open Nelson Agholor in the first quarter that was a sure-fire touchdown and under threw him  in the third quarter that Agholor caught falling to the ground. The underthrown ball the Eagles could’ve overcome when they entered the red-zone later in the drive. With the Eagles down 10-3, Wentz took the snap on second-and-goal and maneuvered in and around his lineman and the Seahawks. He lunged for the goal-line with the ball outstretched and was stripped by one of the many Seahawks doing all they could to keep him from scoring. The ball rolled out of the end zone and was ruled a touchback and a huge opportunity to tie the game was lost.

Later in the quarter, the Eagles (10-2) were again moving the ball but it went for naught. Wentz was rushed from the right side and had a wide open Kenyon Barner to his left but had to get the ball off quickly and the pass went incomplete. A completed pass to Barner and the Eagles might’ve scored a touchdown or at least have a first-and-goal situation.

Wilson, a six-year quarterback, showed his running ability midway through the fourth quarter.  Running away from Eagle defenders like a bobcat on the loose, he tossed a forward lateral to Mike Davis that Davis ran another 10 yards for a first down. The call went unchallenged by head coach Doug Pedersen.  Wilson eventually threw a 15-yard TD pass to running back J. D. McKissic and the Seahawks extended their lead to 24-10 with 7:29 left.

The Eagles now had to score quickly and get the ball back and score again. Not only didn’t they score quickly, they didn’t score. Wentz threw for the end zone with less than a minute left but was intercepted by former Eagle Byron Maxwell.

The Eagles were 0-for-2 in the red zone and Seattle (8-4) was 3-for-3. With a 3-0 lead, the Seahawks began their first touchdown drive and it ended when Wilson flipped an 11-yard TD pass to tight end Jimmie Graham late in the opening stanza. This was the first touchdown the Eagles had allowed in the first quarter this season. It was scored by a team that is desparately trying to stay alive in the NFC West race. Earlier in the day, the Los Angeles Rams (9-3) defeated the Arizona Cardinals 32-16 to remain in first by a game over the Seahawks.

It was scored by a team that went to two consecutive Super Bowls with Wilson as their quarterback, winning one and coming oh-so-close to winning a second against the New England Patriots. It was also scored by a team coached by Pete Carroll. He’s respected throughout the NFL for realizing how important the home crowd, in this case the “12th man”, is to his team.

The Eagles knew it wouldn’t be easy to come back from the deficit against this team. It is never easy to be down by 10 when the first quarter is over and know you’re going to be fighting uphill the rest of the game. They went 75 yards on 16 plays midway through the second quarter but had to settle for a 26-yard Jake Elliott field goal. That was all the scoring in the first half and Seattle led 10-3.

Wilson threw a one-yard TD pass to wide receiver Tyler Lockett late in the third period for a 17-3 lead. The Eagles best play came early in the fourth quarter when Wentz found a wide open Agholor for a 27-yard TD pass to bring them within seven again, 17-10.

The Eagles will stay on the west coast for their game with the Rams, Sunday at 4:25. Seattle travels to Jacksonville (8-4) for a Sunday 1 p.m. game.