Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were done. Finished. After three consecutive losses to sub-.500 teams, it was apparent Chip Kelly had lost the locker room and this Eagles’ squad was destined to a top-10 slot in the 2016 draft and possible changes at head coach.
Since then though, there’s been a miraculous resurgence. A tremendous team effort against the New England Patriots all but saved Philly’s season and Kelly’s job, and a hard-fought win over the Buffalo Bills puts the Eagles in the driver’s seat for the NFC East title. In fact, even if the Eagles lose this Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals, they can still win the division by virtue of beating the Washington Redskins and New York Giants in the final two weeks.
But a win over the Cardinals would go a long way in the Eagles establishing themselves as a legitimate contender in the NFC. It’s a true test for Philadelphia, as Arizona ranks in the league’s top five in both offense and defensive yards, and quarterback Carson Palmer is playing like a bonafide MVP candidate.
QB Sam Bradford vs. Arizona defense
The Arizona offense is arguably the league’s finest unit, but its defense is a tenacious unit as well. Led by All-Pro defensive end Calais Campbell and a secondary that boasts a slew of playmakers – starting with Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu – the Cardinals rank second in the NFL in turnovers forced (25), fourth in yards allowed, and seventh in points allowed.
Fortunately for the Eagles, Sam Bradford is starting to play much better. Over his last four games, he’s completed close to 66 percent of his passes, tossing five touchdowns and just one interception during that span. And the interception was on a pass that tight end Brent Celek really should have caught. During that span, Bradford’s 97.5 passer rating ranks 10th-best in the league among quarterbacks with at least 50 pass attempts, ahead of notables such as Drew Brees (93.5), Eli Manning (90.2), Tom Brady (89.2), and Aaron Rodgers (86.8).
The Eagles have also won five of the last six games that Bradford has started and finished, with the only loss coming against the 13-0 Carolina Panthers in Week 7. For Bradford – who is playing for a long-term contract with the Eagles – this game could go a long way in his future with the franchise.
DE Fletcher Cox vs. LT Jared Veldheer/LG Mike Iupati
Fletcher Cox is not only the best player on the Philadelphia Eagles, he may be the best interior defensive lineman in the league next to J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. Cox is probably better suited as a natural 4-3 defensive end but he’s still thrived as a 3-4 two-gapping defensive end.
Cox is tied with Brandon Graham for the Eagles’ team lead in sacks (6.5). He’s forced three fumbles and recovered two more. Cox typically lines up on the outside shoulder of the guard, which means he will likely do most of his work against Arizona Cardinals’ left guard Mike Iupati, a $40 million player who has been to multiple Pro Bowls.
But expect left tackle Jared Veldheer to help as well – expecting just one man to block Cox is a recipe for disaster. Cox was instrumental in the Eagles’ win over Buffalo last week, helping hold LeSean McCoy to just 11 rushing yards in the second half (and minus-one yard in the fourth quarter).
This coming week, Cox will try to slow Arizona rookie running back David Johnson, who has blossomed since taking over as the starter when Chris Johnson broke his leg. Cox will also be responsible for containing quarterback Carson Palmer, an extremely accurate passer who doesn’t move particularly well in the pocket.
S Malcolm Jenkins vs. WR Larry Fitzgerald
This upcoming game will be the biggest test of the season for the Philadelphia secondary. Arizona boasts arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver corps. It starts with Larry Fitzgerald, an eight-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer, who has historically dominated against the Eagles.
| Year | Score | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD |
| 2005 | ARI 27, PHI 21 | 5 | 93 | 18.60 | 1 |
| 2008 | PHI 48, ARI 20 | 5 | 65 | 13.00 | 2 |
| 2008* | ARI 32, PHI 25 | 9 | 152 | 16.89 | 3 |
| 2011 | ARI 21, PHI 17 | 7 | 146 | 20.86 | 2 |
| 2012 | ARI 27, PHI 6 | 9 | 114 | 12.67 | 1 |
| 2013 | PHI 24, ARI 21 | 5 | 72 | 14.40 | 1 |
| 2014 | ARI 24, PHI 20 | 7 | 160 | 22.86 | 1 |
*2008 NFC Championship Game.
Fitzgerald has averaged a 7/114/1.5 statline against the Eagles, and he’s found the end zone in every one of the games. He’s playing arguably the best football of his career this season, as Bruce Arians has primarily utilized the 12-year veteran in the slot, where his size gives him an advantage over the prototypical nickel cornerback.
The Eagles will likely employ safety Malcolm Jenkins in coverage against Fitzgerald. Jenkins will commonly shift to nickel cornerback to cover slot receivers, and he’s done well enough in 2015 that Pro Football Focus has graded him No. 1 among safeties in pass coverage. Jenkins – a former cornerback – has recorded two interceptions this season, including a 99-yard pick-six against Tom Brady & Co. – plus seven passes defensed and three forced fumbles.
His matchup vs. Fitzgerald will be key for the Eagles winning this game. That’s not to undermine the rest of the Cardinals’ receivers – Michael Floyd is a fine No. 2, John Brown can take the top off any defense, and even 156-pound rookie J.J. Nelson is emerging as a downfield threat. But the passing offense generally funnels through Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald is already at 1,000 receiving yards in 2015, this after three consecutive sub-1,000 yard campaigns. While he hasn’t found the end zone since Week 8, Fitzgerald still has seven touchdowns for the year. He’s averaged 11.5 targets the last six games, and caught at least eight balls every game but last week. He’s clearly Palmer’s favorite target, and could be primed for another big game against the Eagles.
RG Matt Tobin/RT Lane Johnson vs. DE Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell is a one-man wrecking machine, a 6’8”, 300-pound force of nature who has long flown under the radar as one of the NFL’s most underappreciated superstars. Campbell has started 101 games for the team that spent a second-round draft pick on him in 2008; the fact that Campbell has been voted to just one Pro Bowl shouldn’t negate the accomplishments he’s had on the football field.
As primarily a left defensive end, Campbell will line up against the right side of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line. Matt Tobin will clearly be overmatched, so expect Lane Johnson to assist in blocking Campbell. Johnson was Chip Kelly’s first-ever draft pick, and after a promising sophomore campaign, he’s regressed in 2015. He’s already been charged with 11 penalties for the year, and while he’s an excellent run-blocker, he’s still below-average in pass protection.
Tobin is a fringe starter, forced into action because Chip Kelly cut Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans, while Andrew Gardner’s early-season injury landed him on IR. Tobin has already given up eight sacks as a pass blocker, and Campbell will likely be able to exploit his limitations fairly easily.
Keeping Campbell away from Sam Bradford will be an important factor in whether Philly can win this game.
Chip Kelly vs. Bruce Arians
Two of the NFL’s smartest head coaches go head-to-head for the third year in a row. Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles narrowly won the first matchup back in 2013, 24-21, but Bruce Arians and the Arizona Cardinals win last year’s clash by a 24-20 score.
Each has been highly successful since joining the ranks of NFL head coaches. Arians is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year who has compiled a .711 regular-season winning percentage since taking over for the Cardinals in 2013. Meanwhile, Kelly won 10 games each of his first two years before his early-season slide in ’15.
It’s interesting to think what life for Eagles fans would be like if the organization had hired Arians before ’13, especially considering the team was set to interview him before eventually hiring Kelly. Arians has been an open critic of the Kelly offense, calling it a ‘college offense.’
There are some intriguing similarities between the two coaches, even aside from the fact that they both became full-time head coaches the same year. In a quarterback-driven league, each coach has made due with a former No. 1 overall draft pick at the position, and one that had to be acquired via trade. While Carson Palmer is playing much better in Arizona than Sam Bradford is in Philadelphia, it’s worth nothing that Palmer threw 22 interceptions in his first year with the Cardinals.
If Arians can beat Kelly and the Eagles, he will all but lock up the NFC’s No. 2 seed behind the Carolina Panthers. If Kelly can win, he takes a 2-to-1 lead over Arians in head-to-head matchups and puts the Eagles back at .500 and in prime position to win the NFC East.
