I almost made this article all about the ineptitude of new Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, rather than the heroic, redemptive exploits of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock.
This week’s edition of Monday Night Football featured pretty bad ball for much of the night. However, the hosting Seahawks scored 10 unanswered points in the final quarter, capped by a couple of incredible deep bombs by Lock to deliver Seattle a 20-17 victory.
We’ll get to the Patricia of it all in a second. Can we just appreciate these dimes by lock to DK Metcalf and the game-winner to Jaxon Smith-Njigba (hey, Pete Carroll, quick reminder: JSN exists!):
Yes, there was a phenomenal game-sealing interception by Julian Love — his second INT of the night on Jalen Hurts — but that wouldn’t have been a thing if Lock hadn’t carved up Philly before that. Good on him to fight through so much adversity. That included a rather discouraging night in tough, rainy conditions. The Eagles are a quality opponent who could break tendencies with a new defensive shot-caller in Patricia. It had to be an adjustment. Oh, and Lock wasn’t certain if he’d be starting in place of Geno Smith until not long before kickoff.
Not to mention…Lock’s career or any hopes of being a starter going forward were on the line during that drive. He had to go 92 yards. Did it in 10 plays, with five huge completions and the 29-yard clincher to Smith-Njigba.
It’s what Lock said afterwards and how he carried himself that really struck me and, I’d imagine, anyone else who was still tuned in.
When Lisa Salters noticed Lock was emotional, I really dug how the QB handled it and how honest he was about his feelings:
“It’s so hard to describe the feeling of not playing for so long, or at least what feels like a really long time to me. And then you sit there, you watch games, you wonder, ‘Can I do this still? I haven’t been out there on the field.’ That’s the human nature of it.
You get back out there last week… I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m the man still, I can go do this.’ And then you got another test this week, where I didn’t know if I was gonna play or not. Sure enough, ended up playing…the Eagles tonight. The boys around me rallied tonight and it just…gosh! It feels so good. I’m so proud of everybody tonight.”
Seahawks fans be like…
There’s no question Lock is an excellent athlete. It didn’t work out with the Broncos, where he was initially drafted. He was tossed into the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade. Got beaten out by Smith for the starting gig in Seattle. Saw Geno rip it up last season as the Comeback Player of the Year and then get paid. Gotta be tough. If I were Lock, I would’ve expected to beat Geno out. Alas.
To take all those extenuating circumstances in and still perform like he did when it mattered most? Against an opponent who entered the night second in the conference? For a reeling Seahawks team who’d just lost four in a row?
What. A. Statement.
Swag for days. Drew Lock, you da man.
Now for a little close-out centered around Matt Patricia…
I wanted to give Lock his flowers first. Can you f*cking believe the Eagles thought this was a good idea? I can’t believe these guys. This franchise. This team with Super Bowl aspirations. Swapped out Sean Desai for Matt. F*cking. Patricia.
The blowhard Belichick wannabe who squandered years of Matthew Stafford’s prime as the Lions head coach, cratered their culture, and sucked as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator last season is now calling defensive plays for the reigning NFC champs?
Can anyone make sense of this? Anyone? The entire premise of Matt Patricia’s being is ridiculous enough as is.
Does Patricia have dirt on the Eagles? That’s the only explanation I can come up with that’s even semi-logical. Why do I say that? Well…
Remember the last game before he took the big-boy job in Detroit? Yeah. It was Super Bowl LII. Patricia was the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, tasked with trying to shut down a backup QB in Nick Foles and, you guessed it, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Is it a gesture of gratitude from owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman to currently employ Patricia? Because if you remember, New England managed to lose a Super Bowl in which Tom Brady threw for over 500 yards.
Let me say that again in slightly different words. Tom Brady threw for 505 yards in a Super Bowl, and Matt Patricia’s defense couldn’t do enough to secure the victory.
Brady could easily, and I mean easily, have eight Super Bowl rings instead of seven. The Eagles bore witness to this, and years later, after Patricia failed in similar, spectacular fashion at multiple other coaching stops, they hired him, and voluntarily elevated him to defensive coordinator.
WTF?
So yeah, Patricia’s unit getting lit up by Lock on MNF? WHO COULD’VE SEEN IT COMING?!?!?!?!? Besides, you know, everyone.
Shall we check in with the Twittersphere to see how people feel? Why yes. Yes, we shall.
Great news, Philly fans! Just kidding. Not so great news. Sorry this is cruel. Have a good rest of your week, genuinely.
