NFL Arizona CardinalsPhiladelphia Eagles

Predicting the Final Score of Eagles vs. Cardinals

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Carson Palmer Arizona Cardinals

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The Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals have gone about their business and each run out to a 5-1 record to start the season before their battle in the desert this Sunday. The Cardinals’ hot start has them atop the rugged NFC West, a game and a half ahead of the San Francisco 49ers and two games ahead of the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Eagles are just a half game behind the surprising Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.

Philadelphia’s high-speed, up-tempo offense could pose problems for Arizona as the only time the Cardinals have faced a dynamic offense thus far, they were drubbed 41-20 by the Denver Broncos. That’s not to compare Nick Foles and the Eagles to Peyton Manning and the Broncos, but statistically, Arizona ranks 31st in the league giving up 284.8 yards per game through the air.

But that number is a bit misleading and is skewed by Manning’s 479 yards along with the fact that the Cardinals have been leading the majority of the season, resulting in opponents throwing more. The fact is, Arizona cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Patrick Peterson provide one of the best combinations in the league at that position and will be left one-on-one with Eagles receivers Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper quite often on Sunday. Those matchups could go a long way toward deciding the outcome.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy struggled a bit over the first five games, but he got on track big time last week against the New York Giants, rushing for 149 yards on 22 carries, his first time breaking the 100-yard mark this year. McCoy and Co. seem to be facing quite the daunting task at Arizona, as the Cardinals boast the league’s No. 1 rushing defense, yielding just 72.5 yards per contest.

But the difference for Arizona both on Sunday and for the rest of the season is the return/health of quarterback Carson Palmer, who has thrown for 503 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in two games since his return from injury, both wins over the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders. Arizona has quietly been one of the best teams in the NFL, winning 12 of their last 15 games dating back to last season, and the Cardinals are about to embark on what is surely one of the toughest closing stretches in the league with two games against the Seahawks, one against the 49ers and games outside of the division against Dallas, the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs among others. Sunday at home against Philadelphia is a heck of an opportunity to start that journey on the right foot.

Prediction: Cardinals 26, Eagles 23

Ryan Pritt is a NASCAR writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @RPritt, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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