Eagles-Cardinals report card
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Eagles-Cardinals report card
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
RUSHING OFFENSE
Brian Westbrook averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, but that actually was his best rushing average of the postseason. Donovan McNabb had a 22-yard run on the Eagles’ first offensive play, and set up a third-quarter TD with a nicely executed 8-yard draw. Grade: C
PASSING OFFENSE
Donovan McNabb brought the Eagles back from an 18-point halftime deficit with a 17-for-28, 266-yard, 3-TD performance in the second half. But he came up short on the Eagles’ final possession after Arizona recaptured the lead. Grade: B
RUN DEFENSE
An Eagles defense that had held its last nine opponents to just 3.5 yards per carry, allowed Edgerrin James to average 4.6 on 16 carries Sunday. Eagles couldn’t prevent Tim Hightower from picking up first downs on two crucial short-yardage situations on the Cardinals’ game-winning drive. Grade: C-minus
PASS DEFENSE
Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald owned the Eagles in the first half. Warner was 14-for-17 in the first half and threw 3 TDs, all to Fitzgerald. After the Eagles regained the lead in the fourth quarter, Warner engineered a game-winning, 14-play, 72-yard scoring drive. Grade: F
SPECIAL TEAMS
This will not go down as one of David Akers’ better days. Shanked an extra point. Missed a tough-but-certainly-makeable 47-yard FG attempt and curiously sailed a third-quarter kickoff out of bounds. Sav Rocca punted only once, but it was a 58-yarder. Grade: C-minus
OVERALL
A pass defense that hadn’t given up a touchdown pass in the last five games, gave up three of them in the first half. Eagles got inside the Arizona 30 3 times in the first half and came away with six points. Grade: C-minus
Comments (32)
the problem is... the Eagles couldnt figure out the Cardinals 8 man secondary... with only rushing 3... they should've jumped all over it.. they werent prepared for that... nor James's running ability.. another oversight.... ln case they dont know ???.. four receivers run the post pattern clearing out the middle and sides.. with a delayed handoff.. to a running back.... l wish it was that simple...— Pa Bryon- McNabb was off but he did have pressure, they picked up the blitz better in the second half. Fitzgerald is a beast, right on, and unless you disrupt the pocket Warner will pick anyone apart. The cards were near perfect and the Eagles fell short in several phases but they got out played. The Cardinals play like that and they will beat the Steelers.....— pking222
- call it karma ... Santa Claus— lakersbruinsno1
- What a disappointment. But, this was not really McNabbs fault. It was Andy Reids. We should have been going for two point conversions and playing like a team that was being embarrassed and needed a spark. WE called a timeout so that THEY could kick a field goal before the half. The last drive, we took Westbrook out of 3rd down, like we don't need a player capable of a big play out there. We threw on 3rd and 1. We sucked at COACHING. As much as I hate McNabb, and I HATE McNabb, he played ADEQUATELY, and at the very least, well enough that we should have won. Our defense let us down and even more than that, our COACH let us down. Lay off Akers, the guy made 19 in a freaking row, and those 4 points would not have made the difference because of our coaching. We go for 2 and don't call that stupid time out, then those kicks would've mattered. Either way, it was a sad day at my house.— jersey_devil
- Your TEAM, your CITY, you the PHILLY FANS are all a bunch of LOSERS! Tell your fat coach he can take a bath now that your playoff run is over. OVER! I can't tell you how happy I am to see your loser franchise go down the drain.— poorphillyfan
- Wake up Eagles fans! If you have had enough of Reid and McNabb then stop buying Eagle tickets and other Eagle's s**t. Me along with my money are going to watch the Phillies. Who's with me?! Jeffrey Laurie enables mediocrity.— Dan McCollum
- McNabb had plenty of bad games this year, and is Particularly prone to bad starts, so why blame the negative aspects of his performance on the importance of the game?— alank
- The Vikings had Peterson and a third string QB. The Giants were without there main weapon Plax. The Cardinals was the first team the Eagles played with all their weapons.— theBIGKAT
- look Mcnabb missed way too many open receivers n the first half but did play well in the 2nd..the team lost this one folks, D was weak in the first half..great in the 3rd quarter, and couldn't get the stop when it counted in the end- almost an 8 minute drive c'mon someone has to make a stop...after watching Troy P making plays ine the AFC game- we needed someone to step up on D and do that— phillyfanEugene
- Once again i appalled by you idiots,in Philly. when people ask me where im from i say it loud and strong . but its a team game its not the quarterback 1st the cardinals were running picks and dropping the line backers would have solved that but they kept blitzing instaed of covering and it cost them . 2cnd Some one has to teach mcnabb how to throw the ball before a receiver in short yardage situations. that's it that's all and i am ashamed of my home town nothing but criticism no support i hope he gets traded and wins a Superbowl Ala gruden we dont deserve a winner— Tob226
- mikemaddog, mcnabb threw two interceptions and fumbled once other than that and the final 'drive' he was very good. we lost.— JACK V
- True, mikechris, but the Cardinals' defense had a hand in that.— PYW
- PYW, Jake Delhomme obliterated the Panthers.— mikechris
- After they obliterated Carolina, I don't see how anyone could think they were a fluke.— PYW
- MCaesar at 9:38, you make a great point, one I wasn't aware of. Warner threw four TDs and no interceptions. This falls on the shoulders of the defense.— PYW
- The Eagles will never win the SB with Jim Johnson. He comes up small in big games ALL THE TIME.— Leron
- the defense lost the game, plain and simple.— mikechris
Comment removed.- 1. Eagles were outcoached. 2. The Eagles' linebackers were underwhelming. 3. McNabb, inexplicably wild today, seems to upchuck one of these types of performances every couple years in crucial situations.— rlinsk
- I'm sorry, but those who pin this loss - or even a big part of it - on McNabb are full of s**t!— MG44
- The Cards bent all day but didn't break. The east coast learned a bit about that Fitzgerald guy today, quite a bit.— studakota
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- BLAME JEFF LURIE for not giving his franchise qb McNabb a wide receiver who has the ability to make the pro bowl. Is that too much to ask for one of the most valuable teams in the NFL? We COULD OF HAD FITZGERALD and MOSS. Everyone who busts on McNabb probably never captained a varsity sports team and never been in management at a Forture 100 company because hands down, McNabb is a leader whom has brought his team to five NFC Championships. What more can you expect one man to do?— laxcaptain14
- McNabb threw for 375 yards, 3 TDS and 1 INT. That is an awesome game. But no running game and settling for 3 field goal attempts in the first half did them in. If Westbrook is hurt or not getting it done, why not use Buck?— mikemaddog
- THIS POSTED IN THE PHILADELPHIA ENGUIRER: The Philadelphia Police are cracking down on speeders heading into Philadelphia. For the first offense, they give you two Eagles tickets. If you get stopped a second time, they make you use them. Q. What do you call 47 millionaires sitting around a TV watching the Super Bowl? A. The Philadelphia Eagles. Q. What do the Philadelphia Eagles and Billy Graham have in common? A. They both can make 70,000 people stand up and yell 'Jesus Christ'. Q. How do you keep the Philadelphia Eagles out of your yard? A. Put up a goal post. Q. Where do you go in Philadelphia in case of a tornado? A. To the Eagles Stadium - they never have a touchdown there! Q. What do you call a Philadelphia EAGLE with a Super Bowl ring? A. A thief. Q. What's the difference between the Philadelphia Eagles and a dollar bill? A. You can still get four quarters out of a dollar bill. Q. How many Philadelphia Eagles does it take to win a Super Bowl? A. Nobody knows and we may never find out. Q. What do the Philadelphia Eagles and a possums have in common? A. Both play dead at home and get killed on the road.— AZBigRedRage
- Here are the facts 1.Larry Fitzgerald is a beast. Probably the best in the NFL. 2.Warner made a lot of great throws 3.Mcnabb had lots of protection but he made a lot of bad throws. If he played better Eagles would have won. 4. The defense played poorly and even though Mcnabb was inconsistent he did get us back the lead and the defense couldn't hold it. 5. mcnabb had a chance to drive us for a tie and he couldn't do it. 6. Mcnabb doesn't seem to have his best games in the biggest games— swinger18
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- A+ for Cardinal offensive game plan. They mixed it up and had the Eagles off balance for the entire first half. Missed opportunities by the Eagles offense in the first half really came back to haunt them.— jtj06
- I believe it now becomes obvious. You are not going to win a Super Bowl with McNabb. The pressure of big games is too much for him. He was so blatantly tight at the beginning of the game, it was ridiculous. You can tell me I'll be sorry when he is gone; I will respond by asking you the number of big games he has come through in. It is time to move forward; the time to trade McNabb is now.— syddan26
- I agree with your assessment on the pass defense. Today the Philadelphia Eagles put Kurt Warner into the HOF. However I have to disagree with your grade for the Eagles Pass offense--a "B"? Are you serious? How many times did the great Donovan McNabb make poor throws in the first half? How often did he miss guys that were wide open? I've been a McNabb booster forever, but I'm done. The guy can't get it done when the stakes are the highest. As good as he can be, he does not have the ability to dial it up when it matters. We'll live with him next year, but it's time to look ahead. And Kevin Kolb is not the answer to any football related question.— mikeytrapp
- It's a shame you folks didn't take the Cards straight up. I wasn't joking when I said the Cards were better than everyone outside of AZ thought.— phillychokesagain
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Eagletarian is your home for comprehensive coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Les Bowen
Daily News Staff Writer
Paul Domowitch
Daily News NFL Columnist
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