Love was in the air on Monday night, but not the brotherly kind.
The Seattle Seahawks (7-7) hosted a night of drama from beginning to end as they beat the Philadelphia Eagles (10-4), 20-17, at Lumen Field to close out Week 15. Safety Julian Love had two interceptions in the victory, which snapped Seattle’s four-game losing streak.
Minutes before kickoff, Drew Lock was named starting quarterback as Geno Smith continues to recover from a groin injury. He then orchestrated the game-winning score, a 29-yard touchdown to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left in the matchup.
Down by four, Seattle got the ball with 1:52 on the clock. Lock connected with DK Metcalf three times on the drive, including a 34-yard lob and an impressive one-handed grab where the star receiver cradled the ball as he fell backwards.
It was Lock’s second straight start. He served as Smith’s backup since being shipped to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade in the 2022 offseason.
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“I kept the mentality that I was going to play regardless of what was going on, how people were looking and whatnot,” Lock said on the ESPN broadcast after the game. “I was just like, ‘You know what? You’re going to go out there and play, so just be ready to play.’ Found out when we got here that I was going to get the nod and roll the dice, baby. Let’s go.”
Jalen Hurts attempted to lead the Eagles on the comeback, but threw an interception to Love, which sealed the game. It was the safety’s second pick of the game, including one in the end zone earlier in the fourth quarter. Hurts has thrown 12 interceptions this season. — Victoria Hernandez
Winners and losers from Seahawks’ win over Eagles
WINNERS
Julian Love gets two picks: Julian Love had arguably the best game of his career. The Seahawks safety had a game-sealing interception with under 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He showed impressive range and tracking ability on what was the defensive play of the game for Seattle.
Love was routinely around the action on Monday night. He finished with nine tackles and two interceptions.
Drew Lock answers the call: Lock was poised and performed well in his second start of the season. He surprisingly led a 10-play, 92-yard game-winning touchdown drive operating in the two-minute drill.
Lock’s deep 34-yard pass to wideout DK Metcalf and 29-yard game-winning touchdown pass to rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba were perhaps the two best throws of his career.
Lock finished 22-of-33 passing for 208 yards and a touchdown, resulting in a 94 passer rating.
DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker III: Drew Lock relied on the three to carry Seattle’s offense. Wide receivers DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba combined for nine catches and 126 yards and a touchdown. Smith-Njigba scored the game-winning TD.
Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner: Wagner continues to build on his Hall of Fame résumé. The middle linebacker came into the night with an NFC West-high 132 tackles this season. He racked in a game-best 11 tackles in the win.
The 12th year veteran is still one of the best linebackers in football.
Tush Push, a.k.a. Brotherly Shove: The Eagles dialed up the Tush Push three times and were successful each time.
Jalen Hurts tallied his 14th rushing touchdown of the season, which set a franchise record for a quarterback.
LOSERS
Eagles defense: The Eagles had the second-best defense in all of football last season. The unit helped them earn a Super Bowl 57 appearance. This year, the unit has struggled particularly against the pass.
Seahawks backup QB Drew Lock managed the game well against Philly’s defense. Lock’s 94 passer rating against the Eagles was a season high.
Defensive coordinator Sean Desai’s demotion in favor of Matt Patricia, who called the plays Monday night, didn’t have much of an impact.
Eagles CB James Bradberry: Bradberry was picked on multiple times in the loss, including on the game-winning touchdown to rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Bradberry hasn’t been the same cornerback this season.
Eagles team: The Eagles need to go back to the drawing board. They are currently on a three-game losing streak. Luckily for the Eagles, they face the lowly Giants twice and have a meeting with the rebuilding Cardinals to finish out the regular season.
The Eagles will clinch the NFC East if they win their final three games. — Tyler Dragon
Seahawks-Eagles highlights
Drew Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left to cap a 92-yard drive, and the Seahawks stunned the Eagles on Monday night, ending a four-game skid and getting back into NFC playoff contention.
Julian Love’s second INT caps thrilling win for Seahawks
Julian Love added another highlight-reel play to finish off the Seahawks’ 20-17 win over the Eagles, halting a four-game losing streak in the process.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts attempted a deep pass to receiver A.J. Brown, but Love leaped to make the interception and managed to get both feet down during the acrobatic play along the sidelines.
It was Love’s second interception of the game, doubling his total for the season. — Jim Reineking
Seahawks 20, Eagles 17: Jaxon Smith-Njigba scores as Seattle grabs lead late
Drew Lock connected with rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 29-yard touchdown play to give the Seahawks their first lead of the game with 28 seconds remaining.
The Seahawks’ scoring drive started at their own 8-yard line with 1:52 left in the game. The 92-yard drive represented the Seahawks’ longest touchdown drive of the season.
The Seahawks are trying to put a stop to a losing streak that has reached four games, the longest under head coach Pete Carroll. Seattle’s last five-game losing streak came in 2008. — Jim Reineking
Julian Love picks off Jalen Hurts in end zone
The Eagles were marching hoping to extend their lead when the Seahawks snagged the first turnover of the game. They intercepted Jalen Hurts in the end zone.
On first-and-10 from the Seattle 45, Hurts aired out the ball to Quez Watkins. The receiver was covered closely by safety Julian Love. The defender stayed in front of the ball and snagged it before falling in the end zone.
Love did give Watkins a little shove while the pass was approaching, but the officials did not call pass interference.
The pick is Love’s third takeaway of the season and Hurts’ 11th interception thrown. — Victoria Hernandez
Eagles 17, Seahawks 13: Jason Myers hits second field goal
The Seahawks cut their deficit 17-13 after kicker Jason Myers connected on a 43-yard field goal with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III had six carries during Seattle’s 11-play drive. Walker is up to 17 carries, 82 rushing yards and a touchdown in the game.
Myers has made both his field goals Monday night. — Tyler Dragon
Eagles have lead at end of third quarter
The Seahawks tied the game in the third quarter with a rushing touchdown from Kenneth Walker III, but the Eagles snagged the lead back when Jalen Hurts scored on a ‘Tush Push.’
The action slowed from there as the two teams traded punts after going three-and-out.
Late in the quarter, Philadelphia’s All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson was hurt when his foot was caught underneath a defender and he twisted his ankle. He went into the medical tent, but returned to the game a couple plays later.
The Eagles are up 17-10 with 15 minutes left to play. — Victoria Hernandez
Eagles 17, Seahawks 10: Philly retakes lead on Tush Push, a.k.a. the Brotherly Shove
The Eagles have dialed up the ‘Tush Push,’ a.k.a. the Brotherly Shove, twice, and the second time resulted in a Jalen Hurts 1-yard touchdown.
The controversial but highly successful play for the Eagles capped off a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. The TD gave the Eagles a 17-10 lead.
It’s Philadelphia’s 15th ‘Tush Push’ touchdown since the start of last season, per ESPN.
The Eagles have 121 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the game. Hurts has both the team’s rushing TDs.
Hurts has a franchise record 14 rushing touchdowns this season. — Tyler Dragon
Eagles 10, Seahawks 10: Kenneth Walker III helps even the score
The Seahawks came out of the halftime break ready for action.
Kenneth Walker III tied the game with a 23-yard touchdown run to cap off a drive that ate up nearly five minutes of the clock.
On third-and-1, Drew Lock took the shotgun snap and handed the ball off to the running back, who stutter-stepped at the line of scrimmage before breaking right to juke out Eagles safety Sydney Brown and storm downfield all the way for the touchdown. Tight end Colby Parkinson and wide receiver Tyler Lockett each had a key block at the end zone to help Walker score.
Walker was involved in five of the 11 plays in the drive, including catching passes of eight and 15 yards.
This is Walker’s first rushing touchdown since Week 16 against the Bengals. — Victoria Hernandez
Eagles take 10-3 lead into locker room at halftime
The Eagles controlled the first half in Seattle and have a 10-3 lead at halftime.
Philadelphia possessed the football for nearly 19 minutes. The Eagles had a 15-play, touchdown drive and another 16-play drive that resulted in a short field goal.
Despite battling an illness, Jalen Hurts was sharp in the first two quarters. Hurts started the game 5-of-5 passing. Hurts has 79 passing yards, 35 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in the game.
With Drew Lock starting for Seattle, the Seahawks managed just a field goal. Lock had 64 passing yards in the first half.
Seahawks safety Julian Love has a game-high seven tackles.
Philadelphia produced 169 total yards compared to just 90 from Seattle in the first half. — Tyler Dragon
Eagles 10, Seahawks 3: Seattle gets on the board with 26-yard field goal
It took them nearly two quarters, but Seattle is on the board with a 26-yard field goal from Jason Myers.
The drive was boosted early by a pass interference call on Eagles cornerback Josh Jobe, who was covering DK Metcalf. But Seattle put in solid work of their own as Kenneth Walker III had a 13-yard run and Drew Lock found rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for another 13-yard gain.
The drive stalled when Lock threw an incomplete pass and then, on third-and-seven, he connected with Smith-Njigba again, but the play was short of the first down. Myers kicked the field goal with 1:45 left in the second quarter. — Victoria Hernandez
Eagles 10, Seahawks 0: Eagles extend lead after Jake Elliott field goal
The Eagles’ 16-play drive stalled in the red zone.
The Eagles’ 16-play’ series lasted over eight minutes, but a false start at the Seattle three-yard line and a rush for no gain doomed the team’s chances for another touchdown. As a result, the Eagles had to settle for a short 27-yard field goal by kicker Jake Elliott to give Philly a 10-0 lead with 6:20 remaining in the first half.
Philadelphia’s controlled the game so far. The Eagles have two drives of at least 15 plays and have possessed the football for nearly 18 minutes. — Tyler Dragon
A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf: Ole Miss teammates excelling in NFL
Ole Miss had an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position as the Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and Seattle Seahawks’ DK Metcalf spent three seasons together playing for the Rebels.
Brown and Metcalf played together at Ole Miss for three seasons, starting with the first college football season for both in 2016. Somehow, Ole Miss didn’t finish with a winning record with the two on the team. After finishing 5-7 in 2016, Ole Miss finished 6-6 in 2017 and 5-7 in 2018. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore also played on that 2018 Ole Miss team; Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl tight end Dawson Knox was a teammate of Brown and Metcalf for three seasons.
Metcalf — a second-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2019 NFL draft — has been selected to one Pro Bowl, has two 1,000-yard receiving seasons and is trending toward a third. Brown — a second-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2019 NFL draft — is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, and has four 1,000-yard receiving seasons (including 2023).
The career NFL statistics (entering Monday night’s game) for Brown and Metcalf are quite similar:
Brown: 73 games, 363 receptions, 5,749 receiving yards 42 receiving touchdownsMetcalf: 78 games, 357 receptions, 5,082 receiving yards, 42 receiving touchdowns
— Jim Reineking
Eagles have lead after first quarter as penalties hinder Seahawks
Two false start penalties have hurt the Seahawks early in their home game against the Eagles.
One came on the first play of their first offensive drive, giving quarterback Drew Lock five more yards to overcome and resulted in a three-and-out. The second one came at the end of the first quarter on third-and-1, making a third-down conversion more difficult and ultimately resulting in another punt.
The Eagles started strong, opening with a touchdown run from Jalen Hurts. He was a perfect 5-for-5 passing on the drive. Then it was their turn to go three-and-out and punt the ball away.
After one quarter, Philadelphia is outpacing Seattle 80 yards of offense to 35 and is up 7-0. — Victoria Hernandez
Seahawks go three-and-out on first offensive drive
The Eagles defense forced the Seahawks to punt after going three-and-out on their first offensive drive.
The drive started out on a sour note as tight end Will Dissly was flagged for a false start on the first play, pushing Seattle back five yards.
Drew Lock, who was named the starter minutes before kickoff, completed two passes and Kenneth Walker III had a 3-yard run. But it wasn’t enough to move the chains. — Victoria Hernandez
Eagles 7, Seahawks 0: Jalen Hurts sharp on opening drive
Jalen Hurts didn’t look too sick on Philadelphia’s opening drive.
The Eagles quarterback kept the football on a read option and rushed for 13 yards on the first play of the game. Then at the end of a 15-play drive, Hurts rushed left for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Hurts’ touchdown marked the end of a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Hurts went 5-of-5 passing and produced 16 rushing yards in Philly’s opening series. — Tyler Dragon
Drew Lock named Seahawks starter minutes before kickoff
The Seahawks sure know how to build drama as they made fans wait until minutes before kickoff to name their starting quarterback for the Monday night matchup against the Eagles.
Drew Lock will be Seattle’s starting quarterback, per the NFL. Geno Smith is active for the game as he recovers from a groin injury.
Lock started last week’s division loss to the San Francisco 49ers and has appeared in two other games this season. Against the 49ers, he went 22-of-31 for 269 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. — Victoria Hernandez
What time is Eagles-Seahawks on ‘Monday Night Football’?
Eagles at Seahawks is set for kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 18.
How can I watch or stream Eagles-Seahawks on ‘Monday Night Football’?
The Eagles-Seahawks game will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The game is also available to stream for free on Fubo. ESPN2 will play home to the ‘ManningCast’ featuring Peyton and Eli Manning and a trio of guests that includes San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, Houston Texans QB Case Keenum and ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes.
Eagles at Seahawks: Predictions, picks and odds
The Eagles are favorites to defeat the Seahawks, according to BetMGM NFL odds.
Spread: Eagles (-5.5) Moneyline: Eagles (-250); Seahawks (+200) Over/under: 45 Lorenzo Reyes: Eagles 25, Seahawks 16 — This feels like a nice buy-low opportunity for the Eagles, losers of two in a row. The secondary has been an issue, but the Seahawks have been inconsistent and have let their frustrations get the better of them. It might be good to jump on this one early, as Geno Smith (groin) could be ruled out, which would push this line further toward Philadelphia. Tyler Dragon: Eagles 26, Seahawks 20 — The Eagles lost by 23 to the 49ers and followed it up with a 20-point loss to the Cowboys. Philadelphia must shore up its defense. They have given up at least 33 points in three straight games. The Eagles should get back on track this week versus a reeling Seahawks club that’s lost four straight games. Safid Deen: Eagles 27, Seahawks 20 — Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have an extra day to prepare for this Monday night matchup and will bounce back after two straight losses against a Seahawks team that is clinging onto its playoff hopes. Victoria Hernandez: Eagles 24, Seahawks 17 — The Eagles are down bad after two straight losses and have all the motivation in the world to win this game through hell or high water. The Seahawks might or might not have Geno Smith back, but either way, Jalen Hurts is going to will his team back in the win column. Jordan Mendoza: Eagles 24, Seahawks 20 — Philadelphia’s embarrassment over the past two weeks has left people wondering if this team can make a playoff run. Going into a hostile Seattle crowd in primetime won’t be easy, but the Seahawks are having their own struggles and seem like an easy opponent for the Eagles to take their frustrations out on.
Jalen Hurts prepping for flu game? Eagles QB arrives to MNF in Jordan gear
Are football fans in for a landmark performance from Jalen Hurts?
The Eagles quarterback showed up to the Monday night football matchup against the Seahawks wearing all Jordan Brand, including a black hat, white crewneck sweatshirt with the iconic Jumpman logo, black sweatpants and white sneakers.
Hurts was listed as questionable for the game dealing with a flu-like illness. He flew across the country in a separate plane so that his teammates wouldn’t catch the bug. But shortly before the game, the Eagles said he would play.
Michael Jordan had his famous flu game in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals where he boosted the Bulls to a 90-88 win over the Jazz. Despite feeling sick and dehydrated with what was later revealed as foot poisoning, the basketball legend scored 38 points. His three-point shot in the final 30 seconds put Chicago up for good.
Hurts has caught attention for wearing Jordan Brand cleats in big games, including last year’s Super Bowl. He was officially announced as a Jordan Brand athlete in August. — Victoria Hernandez
Jalen Hurts closing in on QB rushing record
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has 12 rushing touchdowns entering Week 15. Hurts is two touchdowns away from tying Cam Newton (14) for most touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season. — Tyler Dragon
Seattle’s man in the middle
Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner has a team-high 132 tackles this season. The 12-year veteran also is the NFC West’s leading tackler. Wagner’s produced 100-plus tackles in all 12 of his NFL seasons. — Tyler Dragon
Eagles coaching changes: Matt Patricia will call defensive plays
Patricia, a three-time Super Bowl champion as a defensive coach with the New England Patriots and a former head coach with the Detroit Lions, joined the Eagles as a senior defensive assistant this year after Desai replaced Jonathan Gannon as the defensive coordinator. — Associated Press
Eagles vs. Seahawks inactives: Jalen Hurts active for Philadelphia
Jalen Hurts is expected to play despite battling an illness, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. On Sunday, the Eagles had downgraded Jalen Hurts to questionable for Monday’s game.
The Eagles, however, will be without three other starters, with linebacker Zach Cunningham (knee), offensive guard Cam Jurgens (pectoral) and cornerback Darius Slay (knee) out. Recently acquired All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard likely will see an increase in snaps with Cunningham out.
For the Seahawks, quarterback Geno Smith (groin), who missed last week’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers, is active. Standout rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon (hip) and safety Jamal Adams (knee) will not play, depleting the Seahawks’ defensive secondary.
Eagles inactive players:
QB Tanner McKee (third QB)CB Darius SlayRB Rashaad PennyOG Cam JurgensLB Zach CunninghamTE Albert Okwuegbunam
Seahawks’ inactive players:
WR Dee EskridgeCB Devon WitherspoonRB Kenny McIntoshS Jamal AdamsOT McClenson CurtisOT Raiquon O’NealDE Myles Adams
Eagles’ Tush Push: What it is, why it works, why it’s controversial
Whether you call it the ‘Tush Push’ or ‘The Brotherly Shove,’ the Philadelphia Eagles’ go-to fourth-and-short play has been extremely successful and borderline unstoppable for the defending NFC champions.
‘Every first down is first-and-9,’ Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said in October when asked about his team’s Tush Push. ‘We have a lot of faith in that play.’
How Eagles’ Christmas album went from wild idea to hit record
Kelce blurted out the idea of putting together a holiday album to Barwin, who gathered the crew. That was the fireside topic of conversation that evening. They walked away from the fire saying they’d do an album. They’d take the side project seriously. And they’d try to do some good with the fruits of their labor.
“That was sort of the direction and the tone we set two years ago,” Barwin told USA TODAY Sports, “and it’s really something that we carried through.”
Eighteen months later, the trio have released their second full-length holiday album, “A Philly Special Christmas Special,” a follow-up to last year’s debut, “A Philly Special Christmas.” Hall returned as the producer, with Barwin, a former NFL linebacker, as the executive producer.
A duet between Kelce and his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song and Holiday Song sales charts with their song “Fairytale of Philadelphia,” a riff of The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.”
Eagles’ Jordan Mailata is a part-time ‘gifted musician’
Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata has another superpower, a different one than protecting star quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blind side.
It’s Mailata’s voice.
‘He’s a gifted musician,’ said War on Drugs drummer Charlie Hall, the producer of the Eagles’ holiday albums ‘A Philly Special Christmas’ and their latest, ‘A Philly Special Christmas Special’. ‘Obviously, he can sing. You hear him sing and it’s no joke. It is for real.’
Seahawks’ DK Metcalf’s sign language celebrations
Although many believe Seahawks star DK Metcalf embarked on his journey to study American Sign Language for the sole purpose of covertly dissing his opponents, the 26-year-old wide receiver took up the language for a much more meaningful reason: He’s showcasing sign language on a national stage.
‘New people are starting to learn ASL and take heed to … ‘What is he signing?’ The curiosity factor comes in to where it is bringing attention,’ Metcalf said. ‘It started out as me trying to learn something new and then the refereeing thing got thrown into the mix where it kind of turned into trash talk, but I’m trying to learn a new language, simply put.’
Eagles vs. Seahawks: Betting tips for ‘Monday Night Football’
Highlighting Monday Night Football odds, the Philadelphia Eagles are among the best bets for NFL Week 14 as road underdogs. The Eagles are being faded by 4 points against the Seattle Seahawks, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023.
According to the top NFL betting apps, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (+1100) has some of the best NFL MVP betting odds in 2023. The Eagles (+700) are among teams with the best Super Bowl betting odds.
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If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with these online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin
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Week 15 breakdown: ‘America’s Team’ is back to being ‘America’s Tease’
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