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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Even with a 24-0 lead, the Philadelphia
Eagles didn't feel secure -- not against the Arizona Cardinals and
Jake Plummer.
Arizona had beaten the Eagles five straight times. In the last
four, Plummer brought the Cardinals back from a fourth-quarter
deficit, but this time the climb was too steep.
No Plummer magic could overcome the poor tackling and weak
defensive line that doomed Arizona from the start Sunday in a 33-14
loss to Philadelphia.
The Eagles (4-3) used a grinding, ball-control attack to score
on their first four possessions and take a 24-0 lead.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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The Eagles began life without Duce
Staley today -- and did it very effectively (172 rushing yards, 4.5
average).
The Cardinals are a team that teases you one week -- you think they're
beginning to turn it around -- and then they come up with a very flat
performance, as they did today.
The Cardinals got so far behind they basically abandoned the running
game and tried to throw the football to get back in the game. After two
impressive performances, Michael
Pittman carried the ball only eight times.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb
(24-for-34) was sharp for the Eagles, leading an impressive performance by
the Eagles' offense.
This victory positions the Eagles for a playoff run.
I'm not sure the Eagles are quite good enough to challenge the Redskins and
Giants for the NFC East title -- though you never know -- but they could
vie for a wild card.
A bright spot for the Cardinals was the play of second-year wide
receiver David Boston (six
catches, 123 yards).
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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With Duce Staley out for the season with a foot injury, the
Eagles relied on Darnell Autry, Brian Mitchell and Stanley
Pritchett to share the running load.
Their play, combined with Donovan McNabb's passing and running,
allowed Philadelphia to improve to 4-3 and stay a game out of first
in the NFC East.
The Eagles took a 17-0 halftime lead in front of a crowd of just
38,293 in 73,000-seat Sun Devil Stadium. They were up 24-0 after
McNabb's 9-yard pass to Chad Lewis with 9:16 left in the third
quarter.
The Cardinals (2-4) cut it to 24-14 on Plummer's 10-yard scoring
pass to Michael Pittman with 10:47 to play, but McNabb's 59-yard
pass to Charles Johnson set up Autry's 1-yard touchdown run to make
it 30-14.
Philadelphia's running backs managed just 36 yards on 13 carries
in last week's 17-14 loss to Washington. But the trio combined for
109 yards on 29 carries against the Cardinals.
"We did it a little bit by committee, had different guys in
there in different situations," Philadelphia coach Andy Reid said.
"We mixed and matched a little bit, and overall I think they did
OK with it."
Arizona tried all kinds of defensive schemes against McNabb, who
completed 24 of 34 passes for 226 yards and rushed for 35 yards in
seven carries. Nothing worked.
"The main thing was our inability to tackle Donovan McNabb,"
Cardinals coach Vince Tobin said.
Arizona had trouble tackling anyone.
"Even in their running game, we had people there and we didn't
tackle them," Tobin aid.
In the first half, Philadelphia had 127 yards rushing on 20
carries, 16 first downs and a 20:05 to 9:55 advantage in time of
possession.
"It's very frustrating," Pittman said. "If you're not out on
the field, how can you score?"
For the game, the Eagles had the ball 39:34 to Arizona's 20:26.
"It was good because we were on the field and Jake was not on
the field," Lewis said. "That was what we wanted to do -- eat up
the clock, get good drives and keep him on the bench where he can't
hurt us."
Philadelphia used 7:47 in a 17-play, 83-yard touchdown drive
that ended with McNabb's 3-yard run with 30 seconds in the half.
The drive stayed alive when the Eagles set up for a 50-yard field
goal, but holder Koy Detmer nonchalantly flipped the ball over his
shoulder to kicker David Akers, who ran 15 yards to the Arizona 17.
"I was thinking `Don't drop the ball,"' said Akers, who hadn't
run with the ball since a fake punt in high school.
The Cardinals offense, which has not scored in the first quarter
in 23 games, took the opening kickoff and drove to the Eagles 28.
But David Boston was clobbered far behind the line of scrimmage on
a reverse, fumbled and Philadelphia's Corey Simon recovered. McNabb
scrambled 24 yards to the 1-yard line, then Pritchett ran it in.
Arizona scored when Plummer connected with Boston on a 70-yard
pass play. The last 10 yards, Boston turned and taunted the
defenders and a 15-yard penalty was stepped off on the kickoff.
Tobin was not happy with Boston, who did something similar on a
long touchdown catch in San Francisco.
"That has no place in the National Football League. He's been
told that many, many times," Tobin said. "Whether you call that
youthful exuberance or whatever, it's just something that you can't
have happen on the football team. It shows just a total disrespect
for the game."
Boston was apologetic and said his emotions got the best of him.
"I thought it was a bad play on my behalf," Boston said.
Game notes
The Cardinals lost linebacker Rob Frederickson with a
shoulder injury in the first half and wide receiver Frank Sanders
with a back injury in the third quarter. Cornerback Aeneas Williams
left with a dislocated thumb in the first quarter, but returned to
play sparingly later. ... The Eagles' Dameane Douglas was called
for holding twice on the same play -- a punt return with 7½ minutes
left in the game.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Arizona Clubhouse
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