Amidst the Monday Night Football clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel might have found reason to chuckle. James Bradberry, the Eagles’ defensive back, found himself in the spotlight once again, and Samuel’s past assessment of him as “trash” seemed to gain credence.
Bradberry’s struggles were evident in the Seahawks game, with the numbers painting a stark picture of his performance, as reported by Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports: “James Bradberry in coverage against #Seahawks 7-of-8, 116 yards, TD, 0 INT, 118.8 rating. Bradberry has allowed a 90.5 passer rating in coverage this year, giving up 9 TD and only having 1 INT.”
The Eagles’ defensive woes, a season-long concern, were exacerbated by the 20-17 loss to the Seahawks, who started backup Drew Lock over the injured Geno Smith. Philadelphia ranks 28th in the NFL with 255.4 passing yards allowed per game. Lock’s efficient performance, going 22/33 for 208 passing yards and a touchdown, underscored the vulnerabilities in the Eagles’ defense. Seahawks rookie wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba exploited these weaknesses for the game-winning touchdown, revealing the glaring shortcomings of Philly’s defensive unit.
This isn’t the first time the Eagles’ secondary has faced scrutiny, as the 49ers, led by Deebo Samuel, capitalized on these vulnerabilities in their Week 13 road win. Samuel dominated with 116 receiving yards and two touchdowns on just four receptions, contributing to the 43-19 victory.
As the 11-3 49ers gear up to face the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 16, the spotlight on defensive matchups intensifies, leaving fans eager to see how the dynamic Deebo Samuel exploits any weaknesses he encounters.