Kolb might have made Eagles think twice

GLENDALE, Ariz. - From the second the Cardinals huddled up on Sunday afternoon, Larry Fitzgerald said he could notice a difference in quarterback Kevin Kolb.

"He really wanted it," Fitzgerald said. "He really doesn't talk all that much in the huddle, but today you could tell that he was actually trying to motivate and go out there and win. He was very demonstrative. Philly was a big week for Kevin; we all knew this was a very important week."

For Kolb, Sunday's 27-6 thrashing of the Eagles was his first shot at a referendum on last year's trade, in which Andy Reid picked Michael Vick as his starter of the future and sent Kolb packing for the desert. The Eagles did face Arizona last season, but it was John Skelton who led that shocking comeback at the Linc with Kolb sidelined due to injury.

Heading into Sunday's matchup, the public poll on which team had gotten the better deal wasn't much of a debate. Despite the turnovers, Vick had pushed the Eagles to a 2-0 start, giving Reid a shifty and unpredictable offensive face.

Kolb, on the other hand, lost his starting job to Skelton after four preseason disasters, making him one of the highest-paid backups in the NFL. He was just 2-6 last year as the Cardinals' starter - and no longer green enough to warrant the excuse of someone learning on the fly. Kolb's stock was plummeting, to the point where some wondered whether Arizona should even pay his $7 million roster bonus due last March.

One injury changed everything. Skelton couldn't make it through Week 1 against Seattle. Kolb has the Cardinals perfect at 3-0 for the first time since 1974.

After calmly pushing Arizona to a 24-0 lead by halftime and maturely hanging onto the ball, Kolb may have made Reid scratch his head a bit on Sunday night's 4-hour flight home. Kolb comparatively embarrassed his Eagles counterpart, the same guy he lost a job to 2 years ago after going down against Green Bay.

It really wasn't even close.

"He did a really good job today," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He looks more and more comfortable. Everyone has talked about the quarterback competition, and the one thing I've always been a proponent of is it makes players better. I think that's what we're seeing."

On paper, Kolb and Vick posted similar numbers. Both connected on 17 completions, though Vick needed 13 more attempts. Kolb netted 222 yards in the air, just 5 more than Vick - who ran for 28 yards, 12 more than Kolb. Neither player threw an interception.

What set Kolb apart is what he didn't do. Vick lost two fumbles. Kolb has one turnover in his three games this season - and he was perfect on Sunday.

Kolb kept it simple, especially careful not to squander the big second-half lead he built with the help of his defense. He countered the Eagles' pass rush all game with quick, three-step drops - something Reid said he was expecting.

With Arizona's underrated defense, the only way the Eagles were getting back into Sunday's game was if Kolb opened the door.

"It's OK to punt," Kolb said. "That's the thing I've harped on a lot. You know, with our style of play, not turning the ball over is a big key. We don't like [to punt], it's never been in my game, but to have that kind of mentality, sometimes it's OK. Especially when your defense is playing that good."

Vick is 4 years older than Kolb. He has played in 83 more games, thrown for nearly 15,000 more yards. His resume is infinitely more complete. Yet, sometimes you can't help but wonder if Vick possesses that "safe mode" capability. Every play is an adventure.

Kolb was rarely rattled. He threw for two touchdowns, after combining for just seven over his previous seven games. After the Eagles cut the score to 24-6 in the fourth quarter, Kolb assembled a 13-play, 62-yard drive for a field goal and chewed up 6:34 on the clock.

"We did a great job at controlling the football and not giving them any cheap opportunities," said Fitzgerald, who caught his ninth touchdown pass in five career games against the Eagles. "Now, the challenge is being able to sustain that."

Kolb's lack of sustenance has defined his career. Two years ago, he was tabbed as the Eagles' next generation quarterback - the same title bestowed on him with a $63 million deal in Arizona. Two weeks ago, Whisenhunt wasn't sure whether Kolb had done enough in his first game to warrant another start if Skelton was healthy.

The flashes of brilliance have always been there. The problem is, they've been just that.

"I will put [this season] in words in the offseason," Kolb said. "I don't even want to think about it right now. Because I've done it in the past, you know, tried to foresee the future. And every time it comes up, it knocks my legs out from under me."