SECOND OPINIONS

[Editor's note: The previously struggling Seattle Seahawks have regained their former destructive potential the past three weeks and the national press has noticed. Herewith some examples:]

You can run the plays fast, but you can't hide, not from a defense as good as the Seattle Seahawks'. The vaunted Philadelphia Eagles offense under coach Chip Kelly, the fastpaced, big-play unit that also has one of the best running backs in the NFL in LeSean McCoy, was no match for the Seattle defense Sunday in the 24-14 loss. The Seahawks held the Eagles to only 139 yards of offense, their lowest total since Kelly became the coach last season. It also was the fewest yards the Seattle defense has allowed since the 2005 seasonhellip;

hellip;At one point in the game when the crowd was booing, [Seahawks cornerback Richard] Sherman stood near the sideline and signaled with his hands for them to boo more.

~Terry Blount, ESPN.com

First the Cardinals, then the 49ers, and now, the Eagles. Three weeks and three statement wins for the defending champions. And you know what that means. All that might stand between the suddenly dominant Seattle Seahawks and a return trip to the Super Bowl as the NFC champion is a January trip to Lambeau Field and a playoff date against the formidable Green Bay Packers.

Is it too soon to talk about a dream rematch of the Seahawks-Packers, who met in the NFL's season-opener back in early September? Not really. The rest of the NFC just threw their best at the defending champion in the past three weeks, and got nowhere, with Seattle's 24-14 manhandling of Philadelphia representing the latest reminder that a repeat of last year's march to playoff glory could be in store.

Don't let the 10-point final margin fool you. This was a thorough butt-kicking by the loud and proud visitors, and I can't help but think that it will be of some benefit to the Seahawks should they meet up with the Packers next month.

~ Don Banks, Sports Illustrated

If the Seahawks' visit on Sunday offered a chance to measure the Eagles against the defending Super Bowl champions and coach Chip Kelly's offense against the NFL's top defense, then the loss became an indisputable indication that the Eagles are not yet in Seattle's class.

The Eagles offense totaled 139 yards, the worst output since Kelly became coach. It was their first home loss this season.

"You go into the game with a game plan thinking you can execute, but I'll give them credit: They did a hell of a job on defense and played better than us today," Kelly said. ". . . There wasn't a lot to write home about offensively today."

~Zach Berman, Philadelphia Inquirer

"You need to tell the Philadelphia police that they need to put an APB out," [Seahawk defensive end Michael] Bennett told USA TODAY Sports. "Because [Eagle quarterback Mark] Sanchez is out there trying to impersonate a good quarterback."

Bennett could afford to be so jovial after the Seahawks - who were 3-3 in late October -- turned in another performance demonstrating that they have morphed back into a championship contender.

And with this, we know, means wearing their swagger on their sleeves.

"We're a scrappy team," Richard Sherman, the all-Pro cornerback, said as maybe the third wave of media converged at his locker. "We're champions. They don't just hand out Super Bowl championships. When you get that, it's a mentality."

~Jarrett Bell, USA Today