Eagles Missed on D.K. Metcalf, Now Have Their Hands Full with Him on Monday
Bu now every Eagles fan knows the team could have selected Seattle wide receiver D.K. Metcalf with the 57th pick in the 2018 draft. Instead the Eagles went with Stanford wide out J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, with Metcalf going seven picks later at pick No. 64.
That decision hasn't exactly worked out for the Eagles, who will now face Metcalf for the third time in his two seasons, facing him twice last season and again this coming Monday night.
Seattle has had the Eagles number, not only in the draft room, but on-the-field, beating the Eagles six straight times entering this years tilt. The last time the Eagles knocked off the Seahawks was in 2008.
Metcalf has added to the misery, hauling in seven catches for 160 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown in the Wild Card matchup. The first time the two teams met he had just three catches for 35 yards.
So while the Eagles might be better equipped in their secondary with Darius Slay to handle Metcalf this season, Eagles defensive coordinator understands the challenge he has this week.
"It's a great challenge for us," admitted Schwartz on Tuesday.
"Just watching him and having played him a couple times in the last year and watch him develop and just getting just one day of game planning in so far, I would say this: I think he's a much improved player in working with the quarterback and understanding [Seahawks QB] Russell Wilson's scrambles and how to get open versus scrambles because it's not just about running your route.
"It's a lot of things, getting him tackled on short routes, getting him covered on deep balls, and staying with him on plays that are extended. We're going to have to do all three of those things to limit him."
Metcalf enters the game with 48 catches for 848 yards and nine scores this season. in 10 games.
Arcega-White has two catches for 45 yards.
Ah what could have been.