NFL Sunday: Cardinals and Eagles Flying To a Showdown

I was wrong about Arizona this year. I thought the change in defensive coordinators would hurt them as much as the change to Carson Palmer, and bringing in of replacements like Mendenhall, would help the offense. The defense, despite an early suspension for Daryl Washington, has been among the league’s best with new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Bowles was very criticized in Philadelphia last year, but is receiving accolades this year. Today, he goes against the team that he could not turn around a year ago.

Arizona has won 4 straight to get into the playoff picture. For Philadelphia, it has been three in a row with Nick Foles at quarterback. These teams now find themselves very much in the playoff mix, with the winner today in good shape. It also comes together as a neo-classic good passing offense vs. good passing defense game.

It may be the other side of the ball, though, where Carson Palmer has shown better play recently and Michael Floyd has emerged, and where Philadelphia has held the last six opponents to 20 or fewer, that determines the outcome.