Wilson provides unique challenge

PHILADELPHIA » North-south runners are a dime a dozen.

And most of them don’t really run south, anyway.

Russell Wilson is unique, the only active south-north runner in the NFL. This is a guy who — if you don’t surround him in the pocket — sneaks out the back door and either throws, or turns it upfield.

Wilson leads the Seattle Seahawks, who host the Eagles Sunday, with 401 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground. That’s 225 yards more than the team’s next healthy rusher, Eddie Lacy, the definition of a northsouth runner.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had to lean on NFL Films for an example of a quarterback who takes the rear exit as skillfully as Wilson. Frank Tarkenton, anyone?

Schwartz, 51, was born the year Tarkenton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame career began with the Vikings, and 12 when it ended.

“He can threaten inside the pocket,” Schwartz said of Wilson. “He can threaten outside the pocket. But probably the thing he’s most dangerous in is threatening by running backwards. You can keep contain. Get him to step up. But it’s hard to get somebody directly behind him and that’s where he can just turn and run and escape. And once he does he can create some problems for your defense. He threatens the whole field.”

Wilson didn’t have his best game, nor did the Seahawks, but there was no doubt about their 26-15 win over the Birds last year in Seattle. Though the Seahawks were just 5 of 15 on third down, Wilson broke the game open with his scrambling, the Eagles trying their best to keep him surrounded.

On third-and-11, Wilson stepped up in the pocket, veered left, arched the ball over linebacker Jordan Hicks, who was spying him, as well as defender Jaylen Watkins, and into

the arms of tight end Jimmy Graham for a backbreaking 35-yard yard touchdown. The Eagles led, 7-6, before that play, one in which they played sound and still lost.

“He’s just fast,” said linebacker Nigel Bradham, who almost certainly will be in the mix of spies the Eagles use to defend Wilson this Sunday night. “Some teams put multiple guys on him. Some try to collapse the pocket. You’ve kind of got to account for everything with him. And he’s also a great thrower on the run. It’s definitely going to be a big challenge for us. I think we’ll step up and be ready.”

The Seahawks are so banged-up on the offensive line that former Eagles utility offensive lineman Matt Tobin starts at left tackle. The rest of the guys aren’t household names, either.

But Graham and tight end Luke Willson still are there, as is Doug Baldwin, who Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins dubbed “the most underrated receiver in the league.” Tyler Lockett has speed to burn, as well. The Seahawks don’t pound the ball as well as they did when Marshawn Lynch was around, but they

don’t have to, providing Wilson does his thing.

Per NFL stats, since Wilson’s rookie season in 2012, the Seahawks are a league-best 19-5 in regular season games in December and January, although just 1-0 versus the Eagles.

Wilson has thrown for 5,726 yards, 47 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 103.5 passer rating in those games.

The Seahawks, like the Eagles, have lost several key stars to injury, the list including cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Kam Chancellor, among others. Their kicking game cost them a chance to beat the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Pete Carroll and Wilson, more than anyone, are the reason the Hawks are 7-4, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams (8-3) in the NFC West.

The Eagles get the Rams in two weekends. It will be a lot easier to prepare if they beat Wilson.

“You have to stay live on everything,” Schwartz said. “You can never go to sleep because if he scrambles one way, there’s a good chance he’s coming back to you. We have to stay alive in coverage as well as rush. He threatens the whole length of the field.”

Said Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry, of Wilson “He’s an elusive player.

“He’s one of the best quarterbacks in our league and they really rely on him to run our offense,” Curry said. “I’m pretty sure Jim will have a perfect game plan for him. We’ll just have to execute it.”

••• Carson Wentz’s 28 scoring passes are the most through 11 games of any season for an Eagles quarterback.

••• NOTES » Eagles tight end Zach Ertz and Dunkin’ Donuts of greater Philly donated $15,000 of sports equipment to Camden (N.J.) Whitman Park Youth Football program Tuesday … Rookie running back Corey Clement and slot receiver Nelson Agholor hit the autograph trail at the Sports Vault at Exton Square Mall Tuesday … In the unnews category, the Eagles’ game two weekends from now against the Rams stays at it’s original 4:25 p.m. kickoff time. For weeks blog-heads have cited anonymous sources saying the game would be flexed to that Sunday night.