Eagles beat writers make their predictions for the Cardinals game in Week 17

The Eagles host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Here are the game predictions from the beat writers.

Despite some Eagles protests about fans at the Linc chanting, “Run The Ball” during possessions, and obvious advisement against neglecting the pass considering the offense’s effectiveness through the air, Sunday may indeed be the game to run the ball — at will. The Cardinals have arguably the worst run defense in the NFL, and the statistics back it up. They rank 32nd and last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (147.0), 30th in rushing yards allowed per carry (4.7), and 32nd in rushing first downs allowed per game (7.9). The Eagles also seem to have solved some of the issues that were plaguing them on the ground the last few weeks. They’ve regained some of the advantages they’ve had before with quarterback Jalen Hurts as a plus-one factor, and that in turn has created some space for the running backs. At the very least, Nick Sirianni and Brian Johnson should be able to get running back D’Andre Swift the 12 yards he needs to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.

Favoring the run could play into Arizona’s plan to neutralize receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The Eagles have a significant edge on the outside in one-on-one situations vs. cornerbacks Starling Thomas V and Antonio Hamilton. Sirianni knows the defense well, of course, with former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon now the Cards head coach. Former Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis is the defensive coordinator and play caller, but it’s Gannon’s system. Arizona does have two good safeties in Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson. Asked to name the one player he has circled on the whiteboard, Johnson signaled out Baker on Thursday. He lines up everywhere and Hurts will have to be wary of throwing in his direction. But, overall, this is a Cardinals unit without elite talent up front and now statistically — after overtaking the Eagles — the worst third down defense in the league.

Arizona’s chances of pulling off the stunner rest more so on the shoulders of its offense and specifically two players — quarterback Kyler Murray and running back James Connor. Murray is back from last season’s torn ACL and still seems to be finding his footing — or more like his arming. His 62.3 completion percentage is well below his career average. He hasn’t had an explosive game on the ground like he had a various points in his first four seasons, but he still averages 5.5 yards a carry. Paired with the big and powerful Connor (4.9 yards per carry) the Cardinals’ run game could give the Eagles stylistically different fits.

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De facto defensive coordinator Matt Patricia seemed to tighten the hatches in the run defense last week against the Giants. The expected return of linebacker Zach Cunningham should also buoy the group. But if the Cards can control some of the clock and get to manageable third downs, they may stand a chance. Receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Trey McBride have been Arizona’s top third-down receivers. Brown’s speed could be a factor vs. the Eagles’ lengthy outside cornerbacks, James Bradberry and Kelee Ringo. Murray holds the ball relatively long (2.86 seconds), which should help the Eagles’ struggling pass rush, but the same was expected last week against the Giants, and the defensive line never hit pay dirt.

Still, it’s hard to see the Eagles falling to a team they overshadow in terms of talent. They would have smoked the equally subpar Giants if not for a few flukey plays. I’m not making excuses for the Birds. The Eagles at this point are a flawed 11-4 team. Mistakes have been a part of their DNA from the start. But the Cards don’t likely have the firepower to keep pace – unless a motivated-by-Caleb-Williams Murray recaptures some of his magic from a few seasons ago and carries Arizona and Gannon to an upset.

Prediction: Eagles 30, Cardinals 20

The Eagles get to bid adieu to 2023 by welcoming back Gannon, their former defensive coordinator who they said goodbye to earlier this year when he took the Cardinals head coaching gig. The Cardinals are one of the worst teams in the league, but this game has playoff seeding implications for the Eagles, so they have plenty of reasons to bring the energy to the Linc on Sunday afternoon. If the Eagles win and the Dallas Cowboys lose to or tie with the Detroit Lions, the Eagles win the NFC East.

The Cardinals are particularly weak on defense. On average, they’ve conceded 26.9 points per game, which ranks second-to-last in the league. They’re a revolving door on third down (47.3% conversion, last in the league) and they have one of the worst, if not the worst, run defenses in the league (last in attempts and yards allowed). The Cardinals are not great against the pass either (No. 28 in passing touchdowns), but they have a pair of talented safeties in Baker and Thompson.

This is another get-well opportunity for the Eagles offense, whose biggest enemy lately has been themselves with all the costly penalties and turnovers they’ve committed. Although the Giants’ blitz gave them fits at times last week, Hurts had his first 300-yard passing day since Week 8 against the Washington Commanders and Swift pulled within 12 yards of 1,000, a milestone he’s set to reach for the first time in his career on Sunday.

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Meanwhile, the Eagles defense is likely going to get tested on the ground going up against an agile quarterback in Murray and a powerful running back in Conner. Murray has 187 rushing yards this season in six games and is quite efficient at 5.5 yards per carry. Conner is one of the most efficient running backs in the league, averaging 4.9 yards per carry (No. 8 in the league). The potential to get inside linebackers Cunningham (knee) and Nicholas Morrow (abdomen) will be significant in that regard.

All in all, the Eagles have a better team on paper than this Cardinals squad. I still think it’s always going to be a matter of a) can the Eagles avoid making too many mistakes? and b) can the coaches put them in the best positions to win, especially on offense?

Prediction: Eagles 31, Cardinals 17

Just as they did the last two weeks, the Eagles will go into this Sunday’s game against the Cardinals with a meaningful chance at a “get-right” game.

Time is starting to run out for this team to play its best football before the postseason and Arizona should offer another golden opportunity. Former Eagles defensive coordinator Gannon’s past success hasn’t carried over in his first year as Cardinals’ head coach, leading a team ranked 32nd in defensive DVOA and total rushing yards allowed.

The Eagles should be able to run the ball. The Cardinals are coming off a loss to the Bears in which they gave up a season-worst 250 rushing yards, which may be the blueprint for the Eagles against a familiar face. After chasing explosive plays on several occasions this season, the Eagles offense would be wise to take Gannon’s invitation to run the ball against light boxes when they’re there.

No one knows Gannon’s emphasis on limiting explosive plays at the expense of his run defense better than the Eagles. Taking advantage of that should open things up in the pass game as well, especially considering Hurts’ familiarity going against a Gannon-led defense. As long as Hurts doesn’t get too fixated on forcing the ball downfield, he should be able to have a performance reminiscent of the ones elite quarterbacks often had against the Eagles defense during Gannon’s tenure.

The Eagles’ prospects on defense are less straightforward. Cardinals quarterback Murray is the type of player that can neutralize a pass rush and could pose problems for the Eagles, especially considering the defensive front hasn’t been as productive in the second half of the season. Assuming Murray overcomes his “holiday bug” in time to play, the Cardinals passing attack with tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Brown is nothing to sneeze at.

All of this to say the Cardinals may be able to put up points against the Eagles defense. Patricia’s changes have gotten results the last two weeks, but Murray is the best quarterback the defense has faced since Sirianni shook things up.

This game will likely come down to the Eagles’ ability to get an early lead, string together lengthy drives, and get timely stops on defense. Gannon’s familiarity with Sirianni could make things more interesting than the spread might suggest, but the Eagles should be able to win this one comfortably.

Prediction: Eagles 27, Cardinals 21

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Gannon’s departure from Philadelphia wasn’t particularly clean. His defense struggled mightily against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. By the following week, the Cardinals announced they were hiring Gannon as head coach. And shortly later, it was revealed the Cardinals had tampered with Gannon, speaking with him at a time — the week prior to Super Bowl LVII — when contact for a head coaching job was prohibited. When the former defensive coordinator emerges from the visitors tunnel on Sunday, he’ll likely be greeted by a chorus of boos from across the lower and upper bowls at Lincoln Financial Field. He acknowledged the expected hostile environment during a press conference this week, but will he be able to keep his cool with added pressure from all the drama that stirred during the offseason?

His plan for Hurts and Co. might look like a mimicked version of his defense last year, when the Eagles prioritized limiting explosive plays, while also accepting occasional short-to-intermediate gashes underneath. There seems to be a clear pathway for Swift, who needs just 12 more rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career, to set the tone on the ground. The Eagles also would be wise to expand their game plan to attack the middle of the field. Last week, Hurts registered just one pass across the middle — his touchdown completion to DeVonta Smith – on a slant route.

Defensively, McBride is a legitimate threat. He leads Arizona with 72 catches and 743 receiving yards. But elsewhere, the Cardinals rank 24th in total offense (306.3 yards per game) and 29th in pass offense (177.1). The ultimate key to controlling this contest revolves around stopping Connor, who has accounted for the most points among non-specialists with his combined six touchdowns.

If the Eagles can pull off consecutive wins ahead of next week’s regular-season finale, then Sunday afternoon will mark an early New Year’s Eve celebration across south Philadelphia.

Prediction: Eagles 33, Cardinals 21

The Eagles will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.