Who will win, Eagles or Cardinals? Predictions from ESPN, Sports Illustrated … – NJ.com
Is it time to believe in the Eagles again?
Once left for dead ay 4-7 following a Thanksgiving day massacre at the hands of the Detroit Lions, the Eagles have some momentum, coming off of a season-saving win over the New England Patriots two weekends ago and a win over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday.
The reality is that with the two wins, the Eagles can lose on Sunday night to the Arizona Cardinals and still be right in the thick of the playoff race.
What they can accomplish on Sunday night, however, is a lot more people on their bandwagon, and a real reason to think that come January, the Eagles might be a team to be reckoned with.
So will they beat the Cardinals?
Here are some predictions from around the web.
NJ.com:
Eliot Shorr-Parks: Explaining why the Eagles will beat the Cardinals is hard to explain using X’s-and-O’s. Sure, the pass rush could be an advantage for the Eagles, as Fletcher Cox is playing at a Pro-Bowl level, and Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer isn’t exactly Michael Vick when it comes to alluding the rush. Overall though, the Cardinals are the better team — on Sunday night tho, that won’t matter. The Eagles seem to have their confidence back, and in primetime, will send a message that they are serious about making a run to the playoffs. Eagles 30, Cardinals 21
Mark Eckel: The Eagles have played two of their better games of the season the past two weeks in wins over the Patriots and Bills. They may have to be even better to beat a very good Cardinals team. They will play well, but it won’t be enough. Cardinals 27, Eagles 20.
Matt Lombardo: The Eagles are playing their best football of the season, on both sides of the ball. Last season the Cardinals outlasted the Eagles 24-20 thanks to a late John Brown touchdown and some questionable decision making by head coach Chip Kelly down the stretch. As well as the Eagles have played, the Cardinals are the most balanced and talented opponent this team has faced all year. It will be closer than people think, which should validate the two previous wins over the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. In the end, Arizona’s talent wins out over the Eagles’ new-found grit. Cardinals 33, Eagles 26
ESPN: Of the 13 experts polled, 12 picked the Cardinals and only one picked the Eagles.
ECKEL: Does Bradford want to play for Eagles?
Sports Illustrated: (via Don Banks)
I know. I know. Taking both the Giants and Eagles at home this week probably equates to needlessly giving games away, because Carolina and Arizona are the NFC’s top two teams and the favorites to meet in the conference title game in five weeks. But there’s always a few twists and turns we don’t really expect in December, and I think Chip Kelly’s team is playing with a season-high level of confidence coming off those big wins against New England and Buffalo. After seven consecutive wins, the Cardinals hit a minor speed bump in a primetime showdown on the East Coast. Arizona is 4–0 in night games this season, and going unbeaten in five games under the bright lights is no easy lift. Eagles 27, Cardinals 24
CBS Sports: (via Pete Prisco)
The Eagles have won consecutive games to stay in the division race. This won’t be easy. Arizona can score, and they will have been off for 10 days. It’s a long trip for the Cardinals, but that passing game will light up the Eagles. Cards get it. Cardinals 33, Eagles 27
THE NO-HUDDLE SHOW, Ep. 20: How Sam Bradford’s final 3 games impacts his future with Eagles
In a game that was all about Chip Kelly and LeSean McCoy, it was other players who had the biggest impact during the Eagles’ 23-20 win over the Bills. One of those was Sam Bradford, who could be rewriting his future with the Eagles. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.
Eliot Shorr-Parks may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @EliotShorrParks. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.
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