Seahawks return from bye looking for road win against Eagles

SEATTLE — Fresh off a bye week, the 8-2 Seattle Seahawks will head to Philadelphia this weekend to take on the 5-5 Eagles.

The trip will mark the second-straight road game for the Seahawks for the first time this season.

"Got a big trip coming up going to Philly and I know that I've watched their team enough over the break here to really appreciate the style they play with. We've got to get ready to go," Pete Carroll said Monday.

Seattle last beat the San Francisco 49ers 27-24 in overtime on Monday Night Football on Nov. 11.

Since becoming head coach in 2010, Carroll’s Seahawks have a 6-3 record following a bye.

The Seahawks are also 5-0 on the road so far this season for the first time in franchise history.

The Eagles are coming off a 17-10 home loss, after leading 10-0 in the second quarter, to the New England Patriots on Sunday.

A win on Sunday would help the Seahawks keep pace with the San Francisco 49ers, who trailed 26-23 with one minute remaining against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday but went on to win 36-26.

The 49ers currently lead the NFC West by one game but face the Packers, Ravens and Saints over the next three weeks.

The Seahawks are 9-7 all-time against the Eagles and last lost in Philadelphia in 1989.

Sunday’s game begins at 10 a.m. local time.

Watch the Steve Raible Scouting Report at 7 p.m. on Saturday to see Raible's interview with Jason Myers and for a complete preview of Sunday's game against the Eagles.

Here are Raible's three keys to victory for the Seahawks on Sunday:

Key #1: Clip Eagles' Wings

It's a matchup of two of the NFC's recent Super Bowl representatives. The Eagles won the Lombardi Trophy two seasons ago, but you wouldn't know it today, at least on offense.

They're 5-5, in the bottom third in total offense and passing the football.

Carson Wentz has been middle of the pack with only 16 TD passes.

He's been sacked 25 times, his receivers and running backs have missed time with injuries.

All of this, as the Seahawks are coming off their best defensive game of the season.

They held the 49ers' second ranked rushing attack to just 87 yards.

They racked up 5 sacks and 10 QB hits, and forced three turnovers.

Seattle's "D" is on the upswing the Eagles are treading water. Let the clipping begin.

Key #2: Win the trenches

While the Eagles' offense is near the bottom statistically they're a top 10 group on defense. And it all starts up front.

Three first rounders and second rounder: tough, fast, relentless. This will be a test. And just as with the Seahawks, it starts with the run.

Philadelphia ranks fourth in the league giving up just 86 yards a game. So the message to the Hawks big guys: it's going to be a battle.

As mentioned, Chris Carson needs 147 yards for his second straight 1000-yard season. But more important, Carson is third in the league with 58 first down runs.

That's push. That's mano-a-mano. That's hard-nosed Seahawks football.

So Brown, Iupati, Hunt, Fluker, and Ifedi need to set the tone. Pound the rock and protect Russ.

Take control and bring home the ninth win of the season.

Key #3: History

In a game where you're taught from an early age to forget about what you did and have a short memory -- it's all about the next play.

History can teach us a lot. Where we've been can be a good roadmap to where this team is going. Or, at least, where they 'can' go.

And maybe the biggest is what Coach Pete Carroll teams have done just about this entire decade: since 2012 Seattle leads the league with 46 regular season wins from November thru January.

It's part of Pete's philosophy: it's not how you start but how you finish.

And since 2013, it doesn't seem to matter 'where' the Hawks play. They're 33-19-1 in their last 53 road games.

And with a win in Philly have a chance to go 6-0 on the road to start the season for the first time in franchise history.

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