Coming out of a much-needed bye week with a gang of injuries on hand, the Eagles returned to play and resumed their regular season at the University of Arizona Stadium and fell to the Arizona Cardinals by the final score of 24-20.
The contest started out as a classic game of flag football as the flags flew left and right out the the officiating staffs’s hands. Costly penalties put both teams at a disadvantage, including a fair amount of roughing the passer penalties.
On the second offensive drive of the game, the Eagles looked nearly flawless as great play-calling and ball-movement led to a 21-yard touchdown strike from Nick Foles to Jeremy Maclin. The Cardinals would answer on their next drive with a one-yard touchdown run from running back Andre Ellington to put up the final score of the half.
The Eagles turnover struggles of the season continued through the first half, first with a Josh Huff catch and fumble on the two yard line, and then with a Foles interception to Antonio Cromartie in the endzone. The interception would be his first of two to Cromarite for the day. Foles finished the first half 19/30 with 221 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
A scary moment occurred in the first half when Maclin and all-pro cornerback Patrick Peterson went head-to-head in a nasty collision that left both men down on the field. Both Maclin and Peterson would be taken to the locker room for concussion tests following the hit. Moments later, Maclin would be cleared to return, re-entering the game with a huge first-down catch for the Birds.
The Cardinals started off the second half strong with a quick 80-yard strike to from Carson Palmer to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown.
Continuing to trail, the Eagles came up with a series of huge plays, including a 54-yard Cody Parkey field goal, a huge throw and catch from Foles to Maclin for a 54-yard touchdown, and a Nate Allen forced fumble and recovery. The turnover made 19 straight games with a turnover for the Eagles defense.
After Parkey connected for a 20-yard field goal to give the Eagles the lead, Palmer found wide receiver John Brown for a 75-yard touchdown to regain the lead for the Cardinals. Despite having a minute and 21 seconds left on the clock, the Eagles could not pull together the last second victory.
Next week, the Eagles will travel to Houston as they look for their sixth win of the season and take on Ryan Fitzpatrick, J.J. Watt, and the Houston Texans.
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