​The Philadelphia Eagles Aren't Quite Good Enough (Yet)

In a perfect microcosm of their entire season, the Philadelphia Eagles traveled to the NFL's toughest place to play and did really well for a while, but it gradually became obvious that they just aren't good enough to win out in the end.

Coming into the game, the Eagles boasted a top-ten scoring offense and defense. Their No. 2 overall rookie quarterback Carson Wentz had his detractors among the football cognoscenti, but had been undeniably effective. Despite an average scoring differential of +7.3 points per game—third best in the NFL—the Eagles were just 5-4 before they entered the house of horrors that is Seattle's CenturyLink field.

It didn't get better from there.

All went according to script initially: the Seahawks struck first with a big play; the Eagles answered with a four-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz. Seattle hit on another chunk play to take the lead, then tacked on a field goal for good measure. But despite two possessions in the last four minutes of the half, Wentz couldn't get what he needed to keep it a one-score game.

It spiraled out of control from there: a second interception by Wentz set up another Seahawks touchdown, and by the time he led the Eagles back to the end zone it was too little, too late—just like head coach Doug Pederson's attempt to keep a debut-season playoff berth within his grasp.

Though beating the Seahawks on the road was always unlikely, the Eagles' loss drops them to just 1-5 in away games. For all their achievements this season, and as brutal as their schedule has been, going 5-5 (and 0-3 in division) has put them conclusively behind the 9-1 Dallas Cowboys, and likely the 7-3 New York Giants, too.

Statistically, the Eagles are still one of the better teams in the league—maybe even one of the best. But when playing the teams they're trying to catch, or playing the teams they'd be trying to beat in the playoffs, they've either fallen short or been entirely outclassed.

This is not a permanent condition, though. Wentz has shown plenty of promise, and despite a lot of doubts about him being Diet Andy Reid, Pederson has gotten this team ready to play far harder, and far better, than his predecessor. Once Wentz has a full off-season with his team, and perhaps if he catches some of the breaks his rivals are catching this year, there's no reason to believe the Eagles can't ride the hype wave all the way to the 2017 postseason.

In the meantime, however, they're going to be playing for second best—or technically, in the NFC, seventh best.