Eagles vs. Seahawks Scouting Report

Recent history: The Eagles defeated the Seahawks on Nov. 2, 2008, 26-7, in Seattle. The Eagles lead the series, 7-5.

OFFENSE

Eagles: 420.1 yards per game (3rd)

Seahawks: 294.1 yards per game (30th)

Quarterback

Eagles: Despite 58- and 22-yard completions on the first possession vs. New England, Vince Young has struggled in the first halves of his two starts, completing just 47.2 percent of his attempts. Three of his four interceptions in those games came in the first half. Young has a nasty habit of locking on to receivers.

Seahawks: Tarvaris Jackson is 29th in the league in passing and 27th in third-down passing. This is his sixth year in the NFL, and he's not much better than he was as a rookie. In the last five games, he has thrown just three TD passes, seven interceptions and has a 55.0 completion percentage.

Pick: Eagles

Running back

Eagles: Since getting 30 and 32 touches in back-to-back wins, LeSean McCoy has had more than 21 touches in just one of the last four games. Despite leading the league in rushing, he ran the ball just six times in the first half vs. Patriots even though one carry went for a touchdown and another gained 22 yards.

Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch is a slashing runner who has averaged 110.7 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry in the last four games. His ability to break tackles could present problems for a defense that often forgets how to tackle. Lynch and backup Justin Forsett are good receivers who have combined for 35 catches.

Pick: Eagles

Receiving

Eagles: WR Riley Cooper has become Vince Young's go-to guy. Young has targeted Cooper 17 times the last two games. Cooper, who had zero receptions in the first nine games, has 8 for 146 yards and a touchdown vs. Giants and Patriots. TE Brent Celek has 29 receptions in the last five games.

Seahawks: The Seahawks' best receiver, Sidney Rice, has a concussion and isn't expected to play. Mike Williams, who caught 65 passes last year, has been a disappointment, with just 14 receptions. Doug Baldwin, an undrafted rookie out of Stanford, is the team's leading receiver with 37 catches.

Pick: Eagles

Offensive line

Eagles: A unit that opened the season as one of the biggest concerns is the least of the team's worries. It has allowed more than two sacks in a game just twice and has done an impressive job blocking for LeSean McCoy. Vince Young has been sacked just three times in 87 pass plays in his two starts.

Seahawks: Injuries have taken a toll on a young line that has given up 35 sacks. Rookie RT James Carpenter, a first-round pick, went down with a season-ending knee injury 2 weeks ago, a week after rookie RG John Moffitt injured his back. Carpenter's sub, Breno Giacomini, will have his hands full with Jason Babin.

Pick: Eagles

DEFENSE

Eagles: 344.6 yards per game (15th)

Seahawks: 340.5 yards per game (14th)

Defensive line

Eagles: Tom Brady frustrated the front four by getting the ball out quickly. For just the third time in 11 games, they failed to register at least two sacks. They should have better luck against an injury-ravaged offensive line and a QB - Tarvaris Jackson - who isn't nearly as adept at getting the ball out quickly.

Seahawks: With the exception of ex-Eagles DE Chris Clemons, this unit is better at run-stopping than pass-rushing. Both DT Alan Branch and RE Red Bryant weigh in excess of 325 pounds. The undersized Clemons has eight sacks. Swingman Anthony Hargrove, who spent the preseason with the Eagles, comes in as a pass-rusher in nickel.

Pick: Eagles

Linebacker

Eagles: Juan Castillo's LB corps has drastically improved against the run, particularly since he inserted Akeem Jordan at SLB 3 weeks ago. They are getting penetration and making more plays at the line and in the opponent's backfield. They still struggle in coverage against good passing teams, though.

Seahawks: The Seahawks have rebuilt this unit, waving goodbye to Lofa Tatupu and trading away former first-round pick Aaron Curry. MLB David Hawthorne doesn't have a lot of range and isn't very good in coverage, but he's a tackling machine between the tackles. K.J. Wright is a well-built SAM 'backer with average speed.

Pick: Seahawks

Secondary

Eagles: With Nnamdi Asomugha limited by a knee injury, the Patriots undressed this unit as Tom Brady completed 24 of 34 passes for 361 yards and three TDs. Hopefully, S Nate Allen learned something from that play-fake he bit on during Wes Welker's 41-yard touchdown catch and won't make the same mistake tonight.

Seahawks: The Seahawks have two of the tallest starting corners in the league. Rookie Richard Sherman is 6-3 and Brandon Browner, who was signed out of the CFL, is 6-4. At 6-3, 232 pounds, Kam Chancellor is a safety in a linebacker's body. S Earl Thomas is the thoroughbred in the secondary.

Pick: Eagles

Special Teams

Eagles: The Eagles' coverage units, which both are ranked in the league's top five, will get a major test from dangerous return man Leon Washington. PK Alex Henery has just 17 touchbacks. Eagles need to get something out of their own return game. They are 26th in kick returns (22.3) and 29th in punt returns (6.8).

Seahawks: Leon Washington is one of the league's best return men. He has averaged 12.3 yards per PR in the last eight games and had a 51-yard KR vs. Redskins. Seahawks' coverage units haven't been very good, but Eagles' return units have been even worse. P Jon Ryan is sixth in the league in gross average (48.3).

Pick: Seahawks

KEY MATCHUPS

1. Eagles LDE Jason Babin vs. Seahawks RT Breno Giacomini: Babin is a relentless pass-rusher with exceptional speed. Giacomini is a former practice-squadder who's making his fourth career start. Advantage: Eagles

2. Eagles RT Todd Herremans vs. Seahawks LDE Chris Clemons: Herremans has made a silky-smooth transition from LG to RT. Clemons leads Seahawks in sacks, but hasn't had any in four of the last five games. Advantage: Eagles

3. Eagles RB LeSean McCoy vs. Seahawks MLB David Hawthorne: Hawthorne is an exceptional between-the-tackles run defender, but doesn't have the range to deal with McCoy when he bounces outside. Advantage: Eagles

Hot and Not

HOT

Eagles: WR Riley Cooper: Cooper has eight catches for 146 yards and a touchdown in last two games after not catching any passes in the first nine games.

Seahawks: RB Marshawn Lynch. In the last four games, Lynch is averaging 110.7 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry.

NOT

Eagles: WR DeSean Jackson. Had four catches for 73 yards vs. Patriots, but dropped three other passes, including two would-be touchdowns. He was benched for the fourth quarter.

Seahawks: QB Tarvaris Jackson. Has three TD passes, seven interceptions and a 55.0 completion percentage in the last five games.

DOMO'S PREDICTION: EAGLES 27, SEAHAWKS 17