Cardinals vs. Eagles: Full Philadelphia Game Preview
The Philadelphia Eagles look like a completely different team entering Week 15 compared to just a few weeks ago, but now they face a tough task against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles put together their second consecutive win, as they pulled out a late 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Philadelphia won its second game of a three-game home stint to move to 6-7 on the year and remain tied for first place in the NFC East.
Philadelphia's season looked hopeless a few weeks when the team lost three consecutive games. Fans started calling for Chip Kelly's head, as the team looked to be moving in the opposite direction at only 4-7. But when the team was backed up against the wall, the Eagles responded with an upset victory over the Patriots. Then Kelly's team showed its focus as it thwarted LeSean McCoy's highly covered return to Philadelphia.
On the other side, the Cardinals come in as one of the favorites to not only make the playoffs, but also make a run at the Super Bowl. Arizona is currently 11-2 following a 23-20 victory at home to the Minnesota Vikings. Now Bruce Arians and his team will be forced to leave their dome and travel to the Northeast to take on a streaking Philadelphia team.
Let's take a look at some of the news and key players heading into Week 15, as the Eagles try to put together a three-game winning streak for the first time this season with a win over the Cardinals.
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Week 14 Results and Recap
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LeSean McCoy returned to play in front of Philadelphia fans for the first time since being traded to the Bills this past summer, but the Eagles spoiled his homecoming, as they beat Buffalo 23-20 on Sunday.
Philadelphia pulled out the late victory behind Caleb Sturgis' 30-yard field goal with under four minutes remaining. Buffalo had plenty of time to work with, but the Eagles defense rose to the occasion to force a three-and-out, then Ed Reynolds sealed the victory with an interception on Buffalo's final drive.
The Eagles started the game strong with a 61-yard drive to jump out to an early lead on their first offensive possession. They utilized their uptempo style to move the ball down the field before Darren Sproles capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run.
Buffalo joined the scoring immediately, as Sammy Watkins broke free down the right side as he and Tyrod Taylor connected for a 47-yard touchdown to tie the game.
Then Philadelphia's special teams rose to the occasion for the second week in a row, as they gave Sam Bradford and the offense a second chance. Marcus Thigpen muffed the punt, and Bryan Braman came away with the fumble recovery. Then, Bradford connected with rookie wide receiver Nelson Agholor on a 53-yard touchdown.
Both the Eagles and Bills added field goals before the half to send Philadelphia into the break with a 17-10 lead.
Philadelphia added a field goal to start the second half, but the tide quickly turned in Buffalo's favor. The Bills dominated the third quarter, as they added 10 points. Dan Carpenter hit a 40-yard field goal to bring it to only a one-score lead. Then, the Bills took advantage of a personal foul by Riley Cooper on the punt return. Kiko Alonso overpursued, and Mike Gillislee found the hole and the end zone on a 19-yard scamper to tie the game.
Both teams settled into a lull, as both defenses seemed to get better as the game progressed. But Philadelphia's offense rose to the occasion and put together the necessary drive to win the game. Bradford found Zach Ertz on a 41-yard pass to set up Caleb Sturgis for the game-winning field goal.
LeSean McCoy exited the field without shaking hands with any of his former teammates and stormed into the locker room. Philadelphia successfully frustrated the dynamic tailback on his homecoming and put the team in prime position for a late-season push.
News and Notes
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The regular season is quickly coming to a close, which means everything centers around earning a spot in the playoffs. With only three weeks left to play, the NFC East is still up for grabs, and all four teams are still mathematically able to come away with the top spot.
The Eagles, Washington Redskins and New York Giants are all tied atop a messy division with a 6-7 record. The Dallas Cowboys are also still alive with a 4-9 record, but their hope is quickly fading.
Philadelphia looked completely lost just two weeks ago, as it lost three consecutive games to fall to 4-7 in the division. Following two impressive victories over the Patriots and Bills, the Eagles control their destiny in the final three weeks.
The final three weeks for Philadelphia include two consecutive home games, against Arizona and Washington, and the big finale at MetLife Stadium against the Giants. The matchup against Arizona will be a tough task, but everything comes down to the final two weeks for Philadelphia. Even if the Eagles lose to the Cardinals this Sunday, they still control their own fate heading into Week 16.
If Philadelphia wins the last two weeks of the season, it would at least finish 8-8. Since the Eagles play the Redskins and New York in Week 16 and Week 17, respectively, the best either of those teams would finish would also be 8-8. However, the Eagles would hold the tiebreaker with a hypothetical 4-2 divisional record.
Looking at the remaining schedules for all three teams, New York may have the toughest task moving forward, as it takes on the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings before facing Philadelphia with a potential division title on the line. Washington may have the line up, as it plays Buffalo and Dallas on either side of its clash with the Eagles.
Although a loss this weekend to Arizona would not spell the end to Philadelphia's season, a victory against the Cardinals would mean a lot for the team's outlook. Momentum is always a major factor, and a three-game winning streak for the Eagles would boost the confidence of the locker room heading into the most important stretch of the season.
Latest Injury News
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Philadelphia escaped its game against the Bills last week without any major injuries, but the wear and tear of a long season is starting to show for some players.
Byron Maxwell missed practice entirely on Wednesday with an ankle injury, but Chip Kelly expects the cornerback to be available for this weekend's game, according to CSNPhilly.com's Dave Zangaro.
Philadelphia cannot afford to be without any defensive backs this weekend, as it takes on a talented Arizona receiving group. The defense is already stretched following the loss of Nolan Carroll, and it faces a tough task against Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown and Michael Floyd this Sunday.
On the other side of the ball, Jordan Matthews was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice with a back injury, according to the team's official injury report. The wide receiver played through his back injury last week, and it looks like he will this week as well.
Defensive tackle Bennie Logan returned to the field last week after missing time due to injury. However, the tackle seemed to be laboring, and he finds himself on the injury report again, as a full participant, with a knee injury.
No team is void of aches and pains at this point in the season, but Philadelphia is fortunate to have the majority of its key players at its disposal. The Eagles are prime to make a strong push for the playoffs now that Sam Bradford, Ryan Mathews and company are back and healthy.
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Key Matchup
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The Arizona Cardinals possess probably the most potent offense in the NFL, as they lead the league with 417.5 yards of total offense per game. The Cardinals possess many different receiving weapons to scare defenses, but their entire operation comes down to Carson Palmer.
Palmer is putting together a career year at 35 years old now that he is finally fully healthy. Bruce Arians' offense centers around its ability to throw the ball downfield, and that starts with protecting his quarterback.
On the other side, the Eagles will need to put the veteran under pressure if they hope to limit Arizona's offense, which averages 31.2 points per game. The key matchup for Philadelphia's defense will be its pass-rushers versus the opposing offensive line.
Fletcher Cox is amidst an All-Pro season, as he is already tied for a career high with 6.5 sacks on the year. Brandon Graham is also putting together a nice year with 6.5 sacks in his first season as a routine starter. Connor Barwin is always a threat in passing situations, and Vinny Curry is starting to blossom into a dangerous defensive end.
However, Arizona ranks among the best in the league in protecting the quarterback, as it has only given up 21 sacks this year. The Cardinals made their offensive line a priority this offseason, as they signed Mike Iupati, most likely the top lineman on the market, and drafted D.J. Humphries in the first round.
In order to allow its vertical passing game to develop, the offensive line needs to protect Palmer for a significant amount of time. Although Philadelphia may have a tough time getting Palmer on the ground, it needs to prevent him from throwing in a clean pocket.
The Eagles only sacked Tyrod Taylor once last week and hit him four times due to his ability to escape the pocket and avoid the pressure. But Palmer is definitely not known for his mobility, and Philadelphia had success when it faced a more traditional quarterback in Tom Brady the week before. The Eagles racked up four sacks and 10 hits on the quarterback in their surprise victory over New England.
Beating the Cardinals would also be an upset for the Eagles, but they face a tough task against Arizona's well-balanced team. In order to have a fighting chance, Philadelphia's talented pass-rushers need to get by Arizona's stingy offensive line.
Match X-Factor
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Philadelphia decided to let go of its leading receiver from the previous year each of the past two offseasons with the departure of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. This left big shoes to fill in the passing game, and part of that responsibility falls on the young shoulders of Nelson Agholor.
The Eagles drafted the wide receiver from the University of Southern California in the first round with the 20th overall pick. The expectations for the rookie rose quickly, as the team needed its young receivers to develop ahead of schedule to replace the missing production.
But Agholor's inaugural season has been a roller-coaster ride, as he has dealt with injuries for much of the season. He hurt his ankle in Week 5 against the Saints and missed three games due to the injury. Even when healthy, his totals in the 10 games he played in, including nine starts, still leave a lot to be desired. Agholor only managed 19 receptions for 225 yards while he dealt with chemistry issues with Sam Bradford and routine drops.
However, Agholor still shows flashes of the player he could be, and last week he showed the weapon he could be for Philadelphia. The rookie caught his first career touchdown against the Bills with a deep slant pattern that went for a 53-yard score. This play alone showed the downfield threat Agholor could provide for an offense that lacks dangerous receivers on the outside.
Last week also came with its concerns, as Agholor dropped a key pass on a crucial third down to force Philadelphia into settling for a field-goal attempt. The young wide receiver is obviously still developing, and the talent is obviously there, but he currently lacks the consistency to be a key contributor.
This weekend against Arizona, Agholor could either provide the big play that takes the top off of Arizona's stout secondary, or he could drop a critical pass that stalls a potentially dangerous drive. The first-year receiver will likely be a factor moving forward, but it will be interesting to see how much of a role he plays in the next three weeks.
Prediction: Cardinals 30, Eagles 17
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Philadelphia's season looked dead and gone following its Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions, but now it controls its own destiny in the NFC East. Following back-to-back wins against the Patriots and Bills, the Eagles look like a new team and are entering the home stretch with a lot of momentum.
Chip Kelly's seat was basically on fire, as people questioned whether he would make it through the season just a few short weeks ago. Everything did not change in the last two weeks, as the team still sits at only 6-7, but the coach's job looks safe for the near future.
The Eagles enter Week 15 riding high, but they face a tough task as they take on Arizona at home. The Cardinals are 11-2 and among the favorites to make a run at the Super Bowl. Bruce Arians has put together one of the most balanced teams in the NFL, as the Eagles average the most yards on offense with a balanced attack, and they boast a challenging defense on the other side of the ball.
The Eagles defense bounced back after giving up a couple of 45-point performances, but it is still far from being completely sound. Arizona will test Philadelphia's shaky secondary with deep shots early and often on Sunday. Eric Rowe will likely make his third career start on Sunday and will face a tough task against the Cardinals receivers. Although he impressed last week, the rookie will have a tough time matching up with Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald. Look for Arians to exploit the rookie corner like Detroit did with Calvin Johnson on Thanksgiving.
On the other side of the ball, Philadelphia seems to have cured its trend of starting games slowly offensively, but it still goes long stints without moving the chains at some point in the game. Arizona also only gives up 19.4 points per game, which is the fourth lowest average in the NFL.
Arizona gives up an average of 87.7 yards per game on the ground, which does not project well for Philadelphia's running attack. Sam Bradford looks to be improving in the last few weeks, but the quarterback is yet to put the team on his back and deliver a statement win. Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu and company are also unlikely to make things easy for Bradford this weekend.
The Eagles face a tough task this weekend, and they will not pull off another miraculous upset. The Cardinals will take care of business away from home, but Philadelphia will still determine the champion of the NFC East in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Prediction: Cardinals 30, Eagles 17
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