Arizona Cardinals Get Thrilling 24-20 Victory Over Eagles

The Arizona Cardinals offense struggled much of the day but an exciting end gives them the victory over the Philadelphia Eagles

It’s hard to pinpoint where it is best to start in recapping the Arizona Cardinals thrilling 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium.  The Cards are now 6-1.  That is their best start since 1974.

More from Cardinals News

• Arizona Cardinals: Could Eric Bieniemy come to the desert?
• Would Jonathan Gannon be a good fit for the Arizona Cardinals?
• Arizona Cardinals: Budda Baker right in his take regarding the next coach
• Arizona Cardinals: 3 reasons new coach should want to work with Murray
• Arizona Cardinals special teams could be completely revamped in 2023

So, let’s start with the first half.  It wasn’t pretty by any means but should we have really expected a pretty game?  Not with these two teams.  The Cards fell behind early 7-0 on a Nick Foles to Jermey Maclin 21-yard touchdown pass.  The Cards got it back on a one-yard Andre Ellington touchdown run in the second quarter and the game was tied at halftime.

The first-half was marred by penalties by both teams.  The Eagles had nine first-half penalties and the Cards seven.  What really hurt the Eagles though were turnovers in the red zone.  Eagles receiver Josh Huff fumbled the ball away at the two-yard line trying to score and Foles was intercepted in the end zone by Cards cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

The first-half also saw the Cards lose cornerback Patrick Peterson.  He collided with Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin and was taken to the locker room with a concussion, which was confirmed in the third quarter after he failed his protocol tests.  After the game, coach Bruce Arians said the Cards could be without him next week.

In the second-half, the Cards got off to a fast start with an 80-yard touchdown pass to receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  Fitz had a great day, catching seven passes for 160 yards.  He was targeted 10 times on Sunday.

The Eagles also had fireworks in the second-half.  Maclin caught a 54-yard pass for a touchdown to put the Eagles up briefly 17-14.  Cards kicker Chandler Catanzaro tied the game at 17 early in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles weren’t done.  They took a long 13-play 78-yard drive that lasted over seven minutes down to the two-yard line before they had to settle for a field goal.  The Cards then got the ball back with 1:56 left and Cards quarterback Carson Palmer eventually hit receiver John Brown for a 75-yard strike with 1:21 left in the game.

That was almost too much time for the Eagles.  They took it down to the 16 on the final play of the game where Foles saw his pass completed to receiver Jordan Matthews but out of bounds.  Clearly out of bounds and that was it.  The Cards survived despite a tired defense and a once again inconsistent offense who at times looked lethargic but also very good at times.  It was enough to beat the Eagles and head to Dallas next week at 6-1.