It’s been two weeks since the Eagles took the field and delivered their most convincing win of the season, a 27-0 win over the Giants.
In the week they return, another tough test awaits. The Eagles have traveled across the country to face the upstart Arizona Cardinals.
Here are this week’s six keys to the game.
Eagles running backs vs. Cardinals run defense – The Cardinals have the league’s top run defense, making the task for the Eagles running game very difficult. The Eagles finally seemed to get the running game on track against the Giants, but with Darren Sproles being questionable, the Eagles may be very one-dimensional on Sunday.
Nick Foles – Even in a shutout win, Nick Foles didn’t play his best. Perhaps a week away from the field did him some good. That remains to be seen. But Foles should be able to attack this defense. If the struggles remain, some serious questions about his longevity will arise.
Use the tight ends – One way Foles can be effective is by using his tight ends. There is huge potential for Zach Ertz to have a big game and after the win against the Giants, it isn’t a wild scenario for James Casey to get involved in the scoring. This could be a big game for all three tight ends and Foles has to put them to use.
Pass defense vs. Carson Palmer – The Eagles pass defense has a tendency to struggle with coverage. If the Eagles apply pressure to Palmer, things may be different. But if given time, Palmer could seriously hurt the Eagles and put them into a hole where they can’t climb out.
Bye week blues – A week off can be a good thing and it did give the Eagles time to heal. But it can also disrupt a rhythm. The Eagles were 5-1 before the bye week. They can’t fall apart now, amidst all the injuries they were facing earlier in the season.
Building blocks for McCoy – LeSean McCoy faced questions and heard the criticism, but he silenced those briefly two weeks ago with his best game of the season. This Sunday offers a chance to build on that strong game. McCoy could be the only running back the Eagles truly use on a regular basis on Sunday and facing the defense he is, it could be tough to sustain a running game. That’s the challenge facing McCoy on Sunday.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.
