Around the NFC Aldon Smith’s comeback.

Wilson saving Seattle. The Seahawks’ defense was 26th in yards allowed last year ( 381.6) but made the playoffs. This year, the Seahawks are last in yards allowed ( 497.3 — 34 more yards than any team). Seattle, though, is 3- 0 because of quarterback Russell Wilson. He has 14 touchdowns and one interception and the Seahawks have scored 111 points. The narrative that Wilson doesn’t get much respect is absurd. He’s been well regarded since debuting as a rookie in 2012 and winning a Super Bowl in 2013.

The current sack leader entering Week 4 was out of football from 2016- 19. Aldon Smith, who started his career in San Francisco playing for Broncos coach Vic Fangio and holds the record for fewest games to reach 30 career sacks ( 27), has four sacks for Dallas entering Sunday’s game vs. Cleveland. Various off- the- field incidents, chiefly DUIs and domestic violence, resulted in a two- year suspension and derailed his career. Now 31, Smith also has 20 tackles for the Cowboys.

Eagles almost done. Philadelphia’s season is on the line when it plays at San Francisco on Sunday night. The Eagles are 0- 2- 1 after a woeful tie with Cincinnati when coach Doug Pederson opted to punt in the final seconds. The NFC East is awful ( Washington/ Dallas lead at 1- 2), but the Eagles need to get to work. “I think for me as the head coach, you have to show the good, the bad, the ugly, but at the same time, you have to keep your goals right in front of the team,” Pederson told reporters.