After their disappointing 30-24 Monday night loss to the Chicago Bears, the Eagles are left to prepare for the second half of the season as they sit 3-5. Though it's little consolation, there is indeed a full eight games left in the season so the Eagles have a chance to dig themselves out of hole that currently leaves them three games behind the division-leading New York Giants. Any run to glory will likely have to include a victory over Giants in Week 11, but first, the Eagles must take care of business at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
Originally, this game was billed as the homecoming for former Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was traded to the Cardinals in exchange for Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 second-round pick one year after Kolb was installed as the Eagles' starting quarterback. After opening the season with a win in Week 1, the Cardinals then dropped their next six games while Kolb completed 58.6 percent of his passes, throwing eight touchdowns and eight interceptions for a quarterback rating of 77.8 (still a significant upgrade from the Cardinals' combined quarterback rating of 60.5 in 2010). Kolb then suffered a turf toe injury in Week 8, opening the door for John Skelton who helped the Cardinals pull out an overtime victory last week over the St. Louis Rams, though the real hero was rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson who won the game with a 99-yard punt return for a touchdown in overtime. Kolb is reportedly unlikely to suit up at Lincoln Financial Field this week, muting some of the game's intrigue.
For the Eagles, the focus will be, once again, on limiting mistakes. As Andy Reid noted in his Tuesday press conference, self-inflicted wounds like penalties and turnovers, particularly in the red zone where the Eagles have a league-leading six giveaways, continue to derail the team. After several games devoid of the big play in the passing game for the Eagles, the Cardinals pass defense will be a welcome sight, as Arizona ranks 29th in passing yards allowed per game (272) and 22nd in passing yards allowed per play (7.40). DeSean Jackson, in particular, has been notably quiet, combining for only eight catches and 93 yards over the last three games. Expect Michael Vick and the Eagles offense to make a concerted effort to air it out on Sunday afternoon in the final game of a three-game home stand.
When The Cardinals Have The Ball:
With Kevin Kolb unlikely to suit up in his old stomping grounds because of turf toe, the Cardinals are likely to be led by second-year quarterback John Skelton. Skelton, 6-6, 244, is a Fordham product with a strong arm, though he's occasionally inaccurate and is not mobile. Skelton did put up a solid performance in last week's win over the St. Louis Rams, when he threw for 222 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for an 85.7 quarterback rating. Skelton's desired target is likely to be Larry Fitzgerald, one of the best receivers over the last decade who continues to scare defenses with his precise route-running and ball skills. He will pose a challenge for the Eagles' talented trio of cornerbacks, which includes Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who went to a Pro Bowl as a Cardinal. On the ground, the Cardinals rely on Beanie Wells, when healthy, who is a wrecking ball of power between the tackles. In seven games this season, Wells, 6-2, 229, is averaging 4.3 yards per carry and has seven touchdowns. Still, this has been an offense that has struggled to produce much over the course of the season, as they 25th in yards per game, 29th in time of possession and 22nd in points per game.
Of interest to the Eagles, the Cardinals also rank 28th in sacks allowed per pass attempt. After a week in which the Eagles' pass rush was disappointingly unable to sack Bears quarterback Jay Cutler even once, be sure that Jim Washburn's unit will be hungry to feast on Skelton or whoever lines up under center for the Cardinals. Jason Babin, Trent Cole, Cullen Jenkins and the newly activated Brandon Graham, among others, need to prove that last week was a fluke. Cardinals left tackle Levi Brown has allowed eight sacks according to ProFootballFocus, so it could mean a big afternoon for Cole especially.
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