The word "pivotal" is probably used too often within the sports media world. Nonetheless, the word is definitely applicable to Sunday night's showdown between the Cardinals and Eagles in Philadelphia.
A Cardinals victory would give them the NFC West division championship -- and a win combined with a Packers loss at the Raiders would secure a first-round playoff bye.
On the other hand, a loss combined with a Seahawks victory would make the Cards' grip on the division much more tenuous -- and a Packers victory on top of a loss would set up a matchup between Arizona and Green Bay the following week that would likely determine the NFC's No. 2 seed.
Who has the upper hand going into Sunday night's game? Here are three questions and a prediction for Cards at Eagles.
1. Who’s healthy?
It’s hard to remember the last time seven key players were listed as questionable going into a game, but for the Cardinals, here we are. Three defensive backs, including four-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson, are apparently 50/50 to play Sunday. The same goes for defensive tackle Frostee Rucker, running back Andre Ellington and center Lyle Sendein.
The Cardinals have won without Rucker, Powers and Ellington in recent weeks, but it has made for a thinner margin of error -- and missing any of those guys, along with Peterson and safety Rashad Johnson, will make for some tough sledding on the road against a healthy, surging Eagles team.
2. Can the Cards slow Philly’s up-tempo offense?
The running game Chip Kelly has built in Philadelphia looks much like what he built in Oregon: a number of talented, interchangeable running backs who can burn you on a given play, either on the ground or through the air. In the last two weeks, four Eagles RBs have received double-digit touches, led by the speedy Darren Sproles, who’s still one of the most elusive backs in the NFL at age 32.
The Cardinals have one of the NFL’s best run defenses – their 87.7 yards allowed per game and 3.9 yards allowed per carry are both fifth-best in the league – but Kelly’s up-tempo offense is designed to wear defenses out, and the Cards have been mediocre at best in defending running backs in the passing game. Will Arizona be able to slow down Sproles & Co. on Sunday night?
3. Who wins the special-teams battle?
The Eagles beat the Patriots at New England two weeks ago thanks to a pair of huge special-teams plays: a blocked punt returned for a touchdown in the second quarter, and Sproles’ 83-year punt return for a TD in the third quarter. Sproles leads the NFL with 12.8 return yards per punt and two returns for scores this season.
The Cardinals likely won’t need any special-teams TDs in order to win Sunday, but they’ll need to limit the Eagles’ big-play ability during kickoffs, punts and field-goal attempts. Can they play Philly to a stalemate in that category?
Prediction:
A pair of troubling numbers for Cards fans heading into this game:
#AZvsPHI: Sam Bradford won his last 3 starts vs. #AZCardinals while w/#Rams. #Eagles are 6-2 in last 8 games he's started and finished (@AP)
— Paul Calvisi (@PaulCalvisi) December 17, 2015
During their bye week, I predicted the Cardinals would go 6-2 in the second half of the regular season. I predicted their first loss would come at Seattle. I was wrong.
I predicted their second loss would come at Philadelphia. I hope I’m wrong again.
Eagles 24, Cardinals 23
