Carson Palmer finished 20 of 32 for 274 yards, one touchdown pass, no interceptions. He was also sacked twice. Photo by Andy Lewis/contrastphotography.com

These are stressful times for Eagles fans. In fact it has been a stressful season for the Philadelphia faithful.

Just when their fans thought their team had turned a corner, they lapse back into a sea for poor decisions, turnovers, bad tackling and an effort fans have every right to question.

The Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals 40-17 at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday night on national television.

Incredibly the Birds are still in control if the NFC East despite the win by the Washington Redskins and despite falling to 6-8 on the season.

If the Birds come away with wins over Washington at home next Saturday night and against the Giants the following Sunday, they host a playoff game.

Head coach Chip Kelly was not hearing anything about two games.

“It is more of if we win that one,” Kelly said. “So it doesn’t matter about two, it matters about one. So if we don’t take care of business on Saturday, then there’s nothing to really — there’s not a second game to even talk about, so.”

The Eagles committed four turnovers in the second half, three of them in a little over six minutes of of play starting at the 5:58 mark of the third quarter.

David Johnson lead Arizona with 187 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns. Photo by Andy Lewis/contrastphotography.com

It was a competitive game up until that point. In fact the Eagles rebounded nicely after a the Cardinals had moved the ball effortlessly on their first two drives of game.

Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was carving the Eagles secondary apart on Arizona’s first two drive.

Palmer drove his team 78 yards on the opening drive and took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard run by David Johnson. The drive was highlighted by a 36-yard hook up between Palmer and tight end Darren Fells.

The Eagles responded with a 12-play drive that ended with a 36-yard Caleb Sturgis field goal.

Palmer seemed take over right where he left off hitting receivers at will until, on a third-and-five from the Eagles six-yard line, Fletcher Cox sacked Palmer for a four-yard loss. The Cardinals settled for a 28-yard goal by Chandler Catanzaro to make the score 10-3.

The teams traded three-and outs but the Eagles got the best of the exchange starting their second drive of the second quarter at their own 47-yard line.

The Eagles tied the game on a 22-yard strike by Bradford to Zach Ertz.

The Eagles forced the Cardinals to punt on their next drive and seemed as though the momentum was swinging towards Philadelphia.

But the Eagles failed to move the ball on their next possession and had to give the back to Arizona
The Cardinals took the lead for good on a 47-yard touchdown run on poor tackling Eagles fans thought they has seen the last of since the Thanksgiving Day debacle in Detroit.

“No matter who is in the game we need to tackle better than we did tonight,” Defensive Coordinator Bill David said after the game. “We tackled terribly tonight and we have to get that fixed. The run game was a big time issue. We have done better than that and we will do better than that. I don’t know where it came from but we have to stop it before Washington. It wasn’t good enough by anybody tonight and tackling will be an emphasis this week. You are not going to win many games when you are tackling like that. What happened tonight we have to figure out. The tackling hadn’t been like that so we have to see who, how, and why.”

The Eagles moxie seemed to take a hit after Bradford led them on a nine-play drive that stalled at the Cardinals eight-yard line with 50 seconds left in the half and Arizona holding a seven-point lead.

“It’s frustrating. Especially because you want to help the defense out, (we’re) putting them in tough places. The name of the game was turnovers … and not getting the running game going.” – Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson on all the turnovers and missed opportunities in their loss to Arizona.
Photo by Andy Lewis / contrastphotography.com

Instead of taking the three points knowing the Eagles were going to get the ball first in the third quarter, Kelly opted to go for it on fourth-and-one from the eight.

Once the Eagles were set, Arizona coach Bruce Arians called a time out and changed his defense.

Kelly, questioned after the game said he changed the play, or at least parts of it. Offensive tackle Lane Johnson claimed there was no changes made to the running play that saw Ryan Mathews stuffed for no gain by safety Deone Bucannon.

“It changed,” Johnson said referring to the Cardinals defense. “They brought (No.) 57 (LB Alex Okafor) over and put him over (TE Brent) Celek….our play didn’t change, the defense changed.”
“We ran an outside zone,” Johnson continued. “I guess we didn’t execute the way we should. I didn’t see who made the play.”

Johnson was asked if Arizona anticipated what play they going to run. “I think so,” Johnson said. “It was just a good play by them and we didn’t execute the way we should.”

The Eagles were not the same team after that. Johnson admitted as much.

“It’s frustrating,” the 6-foot-6, 317 pounder said. “Especially because you want to help the defense out, (we’re) putting them in tough places. The name of the game was turnovers…and not getting the running game going.”

Palmer took the Cardinals on an eight-play, 87-yard drive to start the third quarter that ended with a Johnson one-yard TD run.

The Eagles squandered two promising drives with two consecutive turnovers, both fumbles.

The first was by Bradford, who was blindsided by linebacker Michael Golden.

The Cards went three-and-out but on the next possession, Mathews simply lost the ball and the Cardinals recovered.

Five plays later the Cardinals made the score 30-10 on 15-yard Palmer to John Brown hook up.

The blowout was on. On the first play of the fourth quarter Bradford threw a pick-six to Bucannon to make it 37-10.

Bradford finished 28 of 41 for 361 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked twice.
The Birds managed just 74 total yards on the ground. DeMarco Murray continued his decline with this team getting just two carries for three yards.

Palmer finished 20 of 32 for 274 yards, one touchdown pass, no interceptions. He was also sacked twice.

The Cardinals running game dominated as did Arizona’s offensive line despite resting long-time center Lyle Sendlein, a decision made at game time.

The Cardinals rushed for 230 yards with Johnson leading the way with 187 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns.

In the Cardinals locker room Palmer was talked about with reverence that is only held with the elite.

“Incredible,” said A.Q. Shipley, the former Eagles practice squad player and Penn State standout who played center for the Cardinals Sunday night. “He’s a heck of a quarterback. When I first got here, it’s been a pleasure playing with him and to watch him every week. He’s our leader and we love playing for him.”

Johnson said the Eagles have no time to dwell on another lopsided loss. There is still hope, there is still a division to win.

“We’ve got to bury it,” Johnson said. “It’s a short week, we play Saturday. It’s time to go right now.”

Email Al Thompson at the.magazine2@footballstories.com