Knee-Jerk Reactions: Eagles Lose Momentum With Ugly Loss To Cards
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- I thought it might be bad, but I didn't expect it to be that bad.
The whole feel of the game, from the opening drive, was off. It was like the Eagles didn't have a chance and everyone knew it -- the Eagles, the Cardinals, the fans, and the announcers.
And while the 40-17 home loss essentially crushes all of the Eagles' momentum, they miraculously still control their own playoff destiny. Beat the Redskins on Saturday and the Giants on January 3rd, and you win the NFC East -- whatever that even means.
- The Cardinals are good...really good.
- Carson Palmer is just so prepared and precise as a quarterback, it's impressive and that dude David Johnson (29/187/3) is a bull.
- The second biggest play in the game was the Eagles' failure to convert on 4th-and-inches from the Arizona 7-yard line with 50 seconds left in the first half, trailing 17-10.
- The No. 1 criticism of the off-tackle, under-center run to Ryan Mathews was where is DeMarco Murray?
- I have no problem with the decision to give Mathews the ball there -- let's not be hypocritical here -- and I have no criticism form the decision to go for it down seven, against an elite team (that's the Chip Kelly we want).
- Murray has been terrible this season and we've acknowledged that Mathews is the best back on this team (although he hasn't played well the last two games).
- That play had no chance from the get-go. The Cards had more players in pursuit of the run than the Eagles had blockers. It had no chance.
- Maybe that two-handed flip play would have worked better there, but I'm not in the business of questioning play calls in football -- there are too many variables that we don't know about. You just have to execute there.
- I will say, Mathews had the Eagles' biggest tackle of the night -- a block where he picked up and threw down a Cardinals player. He was called for a hold, but I enjoyed it.
- The biggest play and turning point of the game? The strip-sack on Bradford. Jason Peters gets beat and boom. Ball game.
- Darren Sproles was ineffective last night (six carries, nine yards and three catches, 16 yards).
- Why does Jordan Matthews need to celebrate after every catch all of the sudden? Didn't know that was his thing. Sure, he had a decent game, but his numbers (8-159-1) were compounded big a blown coverage 78-yard touchdown.
- WHERE IS NELSON AGHOLOR? Agholor stinking is one of the critical reasons for the Eagles' underwhelming season. Maybe we expected too much from a rookie WR, but to be this uninvolved in the offense (0 catches!) in Week 15 is ridiculous.
- Zach Ertz drops so many easy passes, I can't take it.
- Sam Bradford threw the ball well and moved the offense well early (28-41, 361, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1 FUM), but then the game got out of hand and he started turning it over.
- The offense had a rhythm, but it lacks explosive plays. It's hard to score a lot when you plod up and down the field. Bad things will happen.
- How annoying was the Eagles' play clock thing on the broadcast, or is it just me?
- This defense is too talented to be setting negatively historic numbers.
- Three 40-point games allowed in their last five.
- They're awful pretty much everything at times and the only conclusion I can come up with is Billy Davis is a below-average coordinator.
- Fletcher Cox (6 tackles, 5 solo, 2 for a loss, 3 QB hits, 1 sacks, and countless uncalled holding penalties against him) is a beast, still.
- With both Byron Maxwell and Eric Rowe leaving the game due to injury, E.J. Biggers played very well -- and really has done a nice job all season long in a backup role.
- Jaylen Watkins was up and down in his first extended action of the season, but that's a tough spot to be thrown into.
- Malcolm Jenkins continues to be the only reliable Eagles' tackler -- that David Johnson touchdown run was mind-boggling.
- As a Chip Kelly fan and supporter, this season has been grueling. A roller coaster of emotions for sure, that will likely take a few more twists and turns down the stretch here.
- Stab me with a spoon.
