This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
Published on January 6, 2020, the Eagles' playoff hopes were dealt a significant blow when quarterback Carson Wentz was knocked out of the game in the first quarter.
Wentz, who had waited four seasons for his playoff debut, was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Jadeveon Clowney. The Seahawks took advantage of the Eagles' backup offense, with quarterback Josh McCown struggling to lead the team.
Seattle's Russell Wilson, meanwhile, was able to extend plays with his legs and arm, leading the Seahawks to a victory.
"I was trying to get him down," Clowney said of the hit on Wentz. "It was a bang-bang play. I don’t intend to hurt nobody in this league, let me just put that out there."
Speaking to a pool reporter afterward, the referee, Shawn Smith, explained the no-call. "He was a runner and he did not give himself up," Smith said of Wentz. "We saw incidental helmet contact, and in our judgment, we didn’t rule that to be a foul."
"When you’ve got to play the backup quarterback," Clowney said, "there’s only so many plays that they can run."
