A Closer Look at the Eagles-Cardinals Matchup

In just two short days, the Eagles, fresh off of an underwhelming Monday night performance against Chicago, will face off against the Arizona Cardinals. This is a game that was supposed to be Kevin Kolb’s umm…triumphant (?) return to the Linc, but it appears as if John Skelton will be leading an already anemic Cardinal offense with Kolb likely sidelined by a turf-toe injury.

The Arizona offense ranks 22nd in the league in points per game (20.2), 25th in total yards (312.5), 20th in passing yards (216.6) and 26th in rushing yards (95.9). Those stats are certainly not something that should strike fear into the heart of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. They will be squaring off against an Eagles team that has performed significantly below expectations, but it still in the top half of the league (or close to it) in the key defensive categories with the exception of rushing yards per game, where they rank 22nd, allowing 124 yards per game.

The Eagles must focus on stopping RB Chris (Beanie) Wells and let the backup quarterback try to beat them. I expect a great deal of attention to be paid to standout WR Larry Fitzgerald in the passing game. Philadelphia has to focus on maintaining proper coverage in the secondary and not giving up the big play, which is much easier said than done when facing the unbelievable talent possessed by Fitzgerald. He has the ability to go after the ball in the air in the midst of double and triple coverage and make catches look easy. In their three wins this season, the Eagles have been able to apply consistent pressure to the opposing quarterback, while in their losses that pressure is something that was severely lacking. For a team that was known as one of the most creative blitzing teams in the league, Philadelphia has tried to rely on pressure from their front 4 this year, which has not always been successful. If the defensive line is not able to get to the quarterback, the coaching staff may have to rely on bringing pressure from some other areas and relying on the defensive backs to step up to the plate.

Where have the explosive plays from the Eagles offense gone this year? Granted, defenses have been playing a lot more 2 deep coverage and forcing the Eagles to take the intermediate options in the passing game, but wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been noticeably absent in the passing game. His longest three catches of the season are 31, 41 and 61 yards; with only one other catch over 20 yards. Those pedestrian numbers, coming from a player that was thought to be one of the most explosive in the league, are shocking to say the least. In the last two games, Jackson has five catches for 47 yards and 0 touchdowns…not the kind of performances that are likely to stretch a defense. In his “absence”, WR Jeremy Maclin and TE Brent Celek have stepped up and have thrived in the short to intermediate passing game. Maclin appears to be making the most of his increased role, turning into the player everyone thought he could be after coming out of Missouri a few years ago. Even so, he has had some crucial mistakes that have stalled Eagles drives and ultimately contributed to heart-breaking losses. After seemingly being M.I.A. last year and the first part of this year, Celek seems to be rounding back into the form he showed in 2009, adding another weapon to this potentially potent passing attack. Even with defenses not allowing the Eagles to stretch the field vertically, RB LeSean “Shady” McCoy is having a career year. McCoy currently leads the league in rushing with 825 yards and 9 td’s in just 8 games and is averaging an astonishing 5.5 yards per carry. He’s also contributed in the passing game with 28 catches for 184 yards and two more touchdowns.

As the statistics indicate, the Eagles offense can keep pace with any team in the league, but with the exception of the Cowboys game, they have yet to put together four complete quarters of football. This group has also shown a propensity for turning the ball over in crucial situations, especially in the red zone. The defense has done an adequate job at times keeping the opposition in check, but huge mistakes at critical times have crippled this group. Stupid penalties, blown assignments and poor tackling have been the demise of a talented defensive ensemble. Rookie Safety Jaiquawn Jarrett is looking to get his first start in this Sunday’s game due to an injury to Nate Allen. This will give Jarrett the opportunity to display the skills that were the reason the Eagles took the Temple University product in the second round of the 2011 draft.

The Eagles are significantly more talented than the Cardinals, and I expect them to win the game handily. The final score, however, depends on which Eagles team shows up; the one that dominated the Cowboys and Redskins, or the mistake-prone group that has been on display in the team’s five losses. Luckily for the Eagles and their fans, the talent gap between these two teams is relatively large, so even a mediocre performance on the part of Philadelphia should still allow them to escape with a win.  I look for Philly to double up Arizona:  Eagles 34 – Cardinals 17.