For the large majority of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles were clearly the best team in the NFL as they rolled to 10 wins in their first 11 games. However, as they go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 15 Monday night game, the Eagles have dropped 2 games in a row to their primary rivals.

They suffered a 42-19 defeat at home to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, and they dropped a 33-13 decision to the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys the following week. Suddenly, the Eagles were not only human as they faced defeat, but they went from the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff structure to the No. 5 spot.

While that clearly is a painful development, the Eagles have a mature team that has been through major ups and downs the last 2 seasons, and it is unlikely that any panic will set in.

Head coach Nick Sirianni is a single-minded leader who can keep his team focused on the task at hand, while quarterback Jalen Hurts seems to thrive under most circumstances, but especially when doubt starts to creep in from the outside.

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The expectations here are that the Eagles will return to form, and they should be able to get back into the victory column against a troubled Seattle Seahawks team that has lost 4 games in a row and is struggling with injuries.

Hurts will throw 2 TD passes and also rush for 60 yards or more an a score

Hurts has not played his best football in the defeats to the 49ers or the Cowboys, and he did not practice Saturday as a result of an illness. However, he is not even listed on the injury report.

The quarterback completed 26 of 45 passes for 298 yards with 1 touchdown in the loss to the Niners, and he followed that up by completing 18 of 27 passes for 197 yards against the Cowboys. He did not throw an interception in either game.

For the season, Hurts has completed 286 of 430 passes for 3,192 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. While his passing numbers are not as substantial as they were in the 2022 season, he continues to be a dynamic factor when running with the ball. He has carried the ball 126 times for 460 yards with 12 touchdowns.

Whenever the Eagles need 1 yard to punch the ball in end zone or to gain a first down, Hurts succeeds at that play more than any other quarterback in the league.

Hurts may not be as physically gifted as quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, but he is a winning player who will take responsibility for the outcome of the game on a regular basis.

The Seahawks are struggling right now, and look for Hurts to regain his productivity and throw for at least 2 TDs and run for one more.

A.J. Brown will dominate the Seattle defensive backs

Throughout the season, the combination of Hurts to Brown has been one of the best in the NFL. Brown is a powerful man who has shown he can beat opposing defensive backs with his strength and make key receptions.

He is also dangerous after the catch because he can run by defenders and also run through them. He goes into the Week 15 game with 90 receptions for 1,258 yards and 7 touchdowns.

In addition to his standout ability, he makes life easier for fellow wideout DeVonta Smith. While Smith has criticized himself for his most recent performances, he has caught 69 passes for 907 yards and 6 touchdowns.

“I’m playing terrible,” Smith said. “Gotta play better.”

Eagles defense should get back on track against injured Seahawks

The Eagles defense was beaten up by both the 49ers and the Cowboys. Instead of blunting opposing offenses with punishing hits and key takeaways, the Eagles have been vulnerable to big plays and long drives.

That has to come to an end, according to cornerback Darius Slay.

“Usually the Eagles are known for defense,” Slay said. “So, we’ve got to be known for it. We’ve got to get back out there and really impose our will.”

Look for Haason Reddick to take on a lead role against the Seahawks. He has a team-leading 11.0 sacks along with 32 tackles and a forced fumble. Free safety Reed Blankenship and inside linebacker Zach Cunningham lead the Eagles with 80 tackles each.