Seahawks bizarrely avoid naming their starting quarterback before kickoff in game against the Eagles... with Drew Lock eventually taking to the field despite first-choice Geno Smith being named active

Drew Lock is starting at quarterback for the Seahawks against the Eagles this evening, despite first-choice Geno Smith being named active before the game.

For reasons which remain unclear, Seattle bizarrely chose not to name their starting quarterback ahead of kickoff at Lumen Field.

It eventually became clear that Lock would be getting the nod when the backup quarterback was seen practicing in full uniform out on the field. Smith, who has just overcome a groin injury, was nowhere to be found.

And as the two teams emerged from the tunnel on Monday night, it was Lock who took to the field as the Seahawks' starting quarterback against the Eagles.

ESPN soon revealed on their live broadcast that despite being named active, Smith has not convinced Seahawks staff that he is fit enough to play the entirety of tonight's game. 

Smith, who missed their Week 14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers with the injury, was said to have been limited in practice this week after only initially recovering from his groin problem. 

The 33-year-old has thrown for 2,918 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games so far this season. 

Meanwhile, Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts also starts in Seattle despite a recent battle with illness.

Despite back-to-back losses, the Eagles are still a half-game ahead of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East and in contention for the conference's top playoff seed. On Sunday they secured a third straight playoff berth when the 49ers got the better of the Arizona Cardinals.

With four consecutive defeats, the Seahawks have gone from atop the NFC West to needing to make up ground for a wild-card playoff berth.

'You don't win without some type of adversity,' said Hurts before the game.

'That's just the name of it. We'd love to come out here and be perfect. But perfection is only an illusion.'

The Seahawks have lost twice in the past three weeks to the division-leading 49ers, including 28-16 last Sunday in Santa Clara, California, as Lock started in place of the injured Smith.

Seattle's current four-game skid is its longest since Pete Carroll took over as coach in 2010.

'That was just really frustrating because this was a chance to beat these guys at their place. We had a shot to do that,' head coach Pete Carroll said of the last game against the 49ers, in which the Seahawks allowed 527 total yards. 

'We moved the football well enough to get some points on the board. We weren't able to stop them all (day) long. We didn't get it done.'