Each week, we'll call on former NFL defensive back and current ESPN analyst Matt Bowen to help break down a key play from the most recent Philadelphia Eagles game.

Head coach Doug Pederson called Carson Wentz's first interception "a teachable moment."

You have likely seen the play: First-and-10 from the Philadelphia 25-yard line, the Eagles down one with 1:28 remaining. Wentz drops back, surveys the left side of the field, steps up, looks right and throws a long bomb to Nelson Agholor that is intercepted by Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay to seal the game.

Pederson indicated that Agholor was the third read on that progression. The first two are tight end Zach Ertz and receiver Jordan Matthews, Bowen explains. It's a "high-low" route combination, where one receiver (in this case, Ertz) runs a 10-to-12 yard square-in while the other (Matthews) runs a shallow drag underneath.

The Lions were ready for it.

NFL

"They show two-deep at the snap -- they've got two safeties deep off the ball about 12 to 15 yards -- so it looks like Cover 2 at the snap. They're trying to disguise coverage versus Wentz," said Bowen. "And what they're going to do is they're going to drop the weakside safety at the snap to take away the high-low combination. The high-low combination is classic West Coast. Anytime you have two receivers close together, whether it's two wideouts, a wideout and a tight end, running back, doesn't matter, two receivers close together, that's an automatic alert versus West Coast to defenses for the high-low combination.

"And it's obvious the Lions did a great job in terms of opponent scouting because they're playing for this route. That's why they dropped the open-side safety, because they can take away the high, they can take away the dig route to the tight end; [the safety] drops right into the throwing lane, that allows the defender in man coverage to kind of funnel or push the tight end to the open-side safety who's dropping. What that does is it leaves man-free to the strong side of the formation, where you have Agholor going down the field against Slay with a safety over the top."

Pederson referred to this as "thief coverage, which means they robbed the free safety, played Cover One." Wentz took a look at Ertz but saw the safety in position and then moved to Agholor.

The proper read in this case, Pederson said, was Matthews on the drag.

NFL

"He moved a little bit in the pocket, saw the [safety] cut and really took Ertz away, and at that point, by the time he hitched back up into the pocket, his eyes went to Agholor on the post and he decided to throw it at that time. When in fact, Jordan on the shallow could have been the throw at that time," said Pederson.

It's another beat before Wentz unloads. Because it was a slow-developing play, Agholor is already well down the field when the ball goes in the air. The farther the throw, the longer it takes to get there.

"Now the cornerback can get back in position on the upfield shoulder and go make a play because the ball is going to hang in the air," said Bowen. "It's a far throw."

Slay gets favorable position over Agholor on the slightly off-the-mark offering and comes away with the pick.

With more than a minute remaining and his team only needing a field goal, the best move was to go the conservative route, especially based off what the defense presented. It was a rare miscue for the rookie signal-caller.

"Next time in that situation he'll definitely understand what's going on, I think, and not make those decisions," said Pederson.

"We're beating him up over his fourth NFL start, and he did some great things now in this football game. Not one play is going to magnify him or our performance in this football game."