Eagles vs. Cardinals: Reasonable expectations, late Christmas gifts worth hoping for

Reasonable expectations: Philadelphia's rushing attack shows continued improvement.

It didn't quite reach Shane Steichen levels, but the most recent showing by the Eagles rushing attack gave us reason to smile. It isn't quite the same buzz that comes from finding a PlayStation 5 under the tree, but we'll take it.

35 rushing attempts... 170 yards gained on the ground... A 4.9 yards-per-carry average... The most important thing here is the Eagles' offense showed us some balance. We expect they'll build on that with the temperature dropping now.

Reasonable expectations: The Eagles defense gives up a lot of yardage and a few explosive plays, but the Birds win anyway.

All season, we have told ourselves that the Eagles have yet to play their best game. That might be true. Then again, we could be lying to ourselves. Time will tell the tale.

As things stand right now, however, the Birds' defense isn't generating a ton of sacks. It's safe to say they won't reach the aforementioned benchmark of 70. They aren't forcing very many turnovers either. That may continue versus the Cardinals on New Year's Eve.

That Kyler Murray fellow is a slippery son of a gun. In two career games versus the Eagles, he has completed over 70% of his passes. He has thrown for 656 yards while tossing two TD passes and running for yet another.

There will be tense moments in this one. The Cards will score and produce some explosive plays, but the Eagles should earn a win anyway.