SEATTLE _ There was the strip, and there was the flip.
And, yes, there was a lot else, too, on a night when the Seahawks proved they are indeed not yet ready to be put to sleep _ to paraphrase the words last week of linebacker K.J. Wright _ in beating the team with the NFL's best record, the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-10 at CenturyLink Field.
But if this game ends up being the one that lifts the Seahawks to the postseason then maybe Sheldon Richardson's third-quarter strip of Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz that prevented what almost was a game-tying touchdown will stand as its defining moment.
If not, then maybe what will is a play a quarter later when Russell Wilson capped a night's worth of MVP-worthy actions when he flipped the ball while running 6 yards downfield to running back Mike Davis for a 19-yard gain that converted a third-and-eight and set up Seattle's touchdown that clinched the game.
Wilson also threw three touchdown passes as he outdueled Wentz, considered by many as the MVP of the league coming into the game.
Wentz was just a few feet from tying the game at 10 on Philadelphia's first drive of the second half when he dove for the end zone on a scramble up the middle from the 6.
But as Wentz reached for the goal line, Richardson reached in with his right hand to strip the ball away as Wentz _ who also was being wrapped up by free safety Earl Thomas _ reached for the end zone.
The ball bounded wildly into the end zone where Seattle's Michael Wilhoite tried to locate it among several other Eagles players, with Wentz vainly chasing after it as well.
But no one could get it with Wentz making a futile dive as the ball bounced out the back of the end zone.
Instead of a possible 10-10 tie Seattle kept the lead at 10-3 and took over at its 20.
Wilson quickly led Seattle to a touchdown on the next drive, a possible tie game turning into a 14-point Seahawks lead in the span of 3:52.
It was the second time this season the Seahawks had forced a fumble at the 1-yard line that was ruled a touchback _ and a game-turning turnover.
Seattle's 16-10 win at Los Angeles on Oct. 8 was keyed by a Thomas strip of Rams' running back Todd Gurley that negated a potential early touchdown.
Wentz, who while not as sharp as he has been most of the year made enough plays to show why the Eagles have had the season they've had, threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor with 12:08 left to cut Seattle's lead to 17-10.
Wilson, whose fourth-quarter heroics this season dominated the NBC storyline of the telecast, then scrambled on a third-and-eight play and appeared as if he might come up short as two Eagles defenders approached.
But Wilson then flipped the ball to a trailing Davis who completed a 19-yard gain
Replays showed it might have been a forward lateral. But the Eagles didn't challenge it and the play stood, setting up a Wilson-to-J.D. McKissic TD pass of 15 yards with 4:06 left that sealed the win.
The Seahawks improved to 8-4 and moved into the fifth spot in the NFC playoff picture while also remaining a game behind the Rams in the NFC West.
The Seahawks dominated early against what had been the best first quarter team in the NFL this season _ the Eagles came into the game outscoring opponents 78-18 in the first 15 minutes.
The Eagles, in fact, had not allowed a first quarter touchdown.
But the Seahawks scored two of the first three times they had the ball expertly employing a gameplan based on quick, timing passing interspersed with some of the typical Wilson creativity.
Seattle capped a 12-play 53-yard drive to start the game with a 46-yard Blair Walsh field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Two Wilson third-down completions to Doug Baldwin (nine yards) and Paul Richardson (seven) keyed the drive.
Later in the quarter the Seahawks moved 85 yards on five plays aided by consecutive Eagles' penalties for pass interference and holding to take a 10-0 lead on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Jimmy Graham.
The drive was keyed by an 18-yard Wilson to Nick Vannett pass on the first play and then a 23-yarder to Davis when Wilson evaded pressure and found Davis lingering all alone in the middle of the field.'
Graham's touchdown was his eighth of the season _ all in the last nine games _ increasing his single-season team record for touchdowns by a tight end he set last Sunday.
A Philadelphia team that had been averaging almost 15.3 points per game in the first half this season was held to just a lone field goal.
The Eagles moved it throughout the second half at one point having seven straight drives that got into Seattle territory.
But the fumble and two fourth-down stops proved the difference.
Seattle also simply made a bevy of big plays at key times.
One that also defined the night came on the possession after Wentz's fumble as the Seahawks got to the Eagles' 48, calling a timeout before a third-and-10.
The Eagles blitzed, leaving the middle of the field wide open, a Cover Zero defense that Seattle has exploited for some of its biggest plays the last few years.
The Seahawks did so again as Baldwin sprinted past Eagles safety Rodney McLeod and hauled in Wilson's pass down the left sideline for an apparent touchdown.
After a review Baldwin was ruled out at the 1.
Seattle needed three plays to get it in from there but finally did on a 1-yard pass from Wilson to Tyler Lockett, for what was Lockett's first touchdown of the season.
