After intercepting Jalen Hurts twice in the final quarter to help the Seattle Seahawks defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 20-17 on Monday Night Football, veteran safety Julian Love has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 15.
Love, who earned the start in place of an injured Jamal Adams and played all 69 defensive snaps, enjoyed a career night as the Seahawks limited the Eagles to 77 net yards and zero points on their final four possessions.
With Seattle trailing 17-13 with under 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Diggs alerted Love in coverage as Hurts lofted the ball downfield to receiver Quez Watkins looking to ice the game on a shot play. Quickly reacting to Diggs' verbal cue, he flew back to the end zone and leaped up to high-point the football, emulating a power forward boxing out for a rebound as he gathered a crucial interception.
Love wasn't finished coming through in the clutch either. With just 12 seconds on the clock and the Seahawks leading 20-17 following Drew Lock's touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he vacated his deep post responsibility and flew in front of receiver A.J. Brown for his second pick, somehow managing to get both feet down inbounds despite momentum carrying him towards the bench.
"I just had a good feeling that they were going to go to number 11. A.J. Brown is a real deal receiver, and I was honestly watching him that entire play," Love recalled. "I was in the post, I saw the double move, and I just took off. I saw the ball floating, and I must be living right, because I got my feet in, thankfully.”
Once replay officials promptly confirmed the interception, the crowd at Lumen Field went into a frenzy with Love clinching Seattle's signature upset.
"Both those catches were challenging, difficult plays. He made them look easy," coach Pete Carroll said after the game. "Here is another kid that was so comfortable with that moment. He would go out and make another one if you gave him a chance. He just was not moved by it, beyond total poise and composure and all. Really impressive."
Over the past two weeks, Love has been on a turnover-creating rampage. Prior to his pair of picks against Hurts, he intercepted Brock Purdy and forced a fumble on Brandon Aiyuk in a 28-16 loss to the 49ers at Levis Stadium.
By winning Defensive Player of the Week, Love joined rookie Devon Witherspoon as the second Seahawk to receive the award this season. Witherspoon earned the honor in Week 4 when he returned an interception for a touchdown and recorded two sacks in a road win over the Giants.
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