Cardinals vs. Eagles preview with Bleeding Green Nation

no risk it no [Music] [Applause] [Music] biscuit coming from the Arizona desert presented by sbnation.com for Arizona Cardinals fans by Arizona Cardinals fans with Outsider and Insider perspectives this is revenge of the [Music] birds Hello every Arizona Cardinals fans this is Jess root your host of Revenge of the birds radio Today's Show as always is brought to you by audible.com where you can find the internet's greatest uh audio content online and and like we have been telling you uh revenge of the birds radio listeners can get a free audiobook download by visiting Audi trial.com revenge of thee birds today there's Cardinal fans we have a treat for you we have uh nation's Philadelphia Eagles block bleeding green Nation we have Brandon Le gon on who runs the site and does all sorts of great content about the Philadelphia Eagles whom the Arizona Cardinals will play this weekend uh Brandon thanks for thanks for coming on with me today hey no problem glad to be here all right tell us kind of tell us about what's the state the Eagles off to a great start so far this season five on1 like the Cardinals uh what's kind of the state of the Eagles right now how do how do the fans what what's the optimism level of optimism for for the team right now moving forward I definitely think it's huge right now because you know the Eagles are they're coming off the bye they just they beat the Giants in week six 27 to zero you know I think going into that Giants game the Eagles had just beat the Rams and it looked like they were going to get a convincing win but the Rams really came back to make it close in the end and I think they had a lot of Eagles fans thinking you know know hey we're 4- one right now but we might be able to be we might as easily just be four or one and four or you know whatever because you know they won but they were winning ugly and they were they're getting behind in games early in the year uh the offense was the offense was is supposed to be the identity of the Philadelphia Eagles the Chip Kelly was really struggling because Nick fos andan mcoy you know two of the most important players in offense just really weren't looking sharp and that was due to offensive line injuries but the defense and special teams really stepped up in those games and carried them but you know so you have that kind of worry and they come into this Giants game and they win 27 to zero their first shut out since 1996 you I think fans are feeling really good now especially because you have that by week and you're getting some players back from injury and I think everyone's just ready to take on the Cardinals and so what was the you said the the offensive line health issues were were kind of the problem leading up to that game but what really clicked what made it what went from cuz a conversation I've one of one of the many preview conversations we've been having I believe it was I think it was with with one of the other writers that you have was I I mentioned the the whole concept of of fluky points um because they're really hard to count on with the seven return touchdowns the the the defensive touchdowns the special teams touchdowns those those aren't points that you can generally count on or even predict um how how the how the Eagles and how did things finally come together against the Giants was it kind of the a culmination of that a big Thursday night game is it because it's an NFC East game uh is that more of a case where we think that you guys think that it's going to be putting things together now they came through and and they turned a corner offensively or or what yeah that's a great question I do think part of it was just the fact it was such a huge game you know there was no way they were going to show up to that game and you know come out flat cuz there was just you know a lot on the line they're playing for to keep first place in the NFC East the Seahawks had just lost to the Cowboys I don't know if they had they were keeping an eye on that but you know I'm sure that that uh didn't hurt so I mean you know they just came out really firing in all cylinders but I really didn't see anything too unsustainable in that game it's not like you had these players who aren't capable of doing what they did you know playing over their head uh Tom McCoy returned to form for the first time uh the Eagles made a couple tweaks with the Run game instead of lining up in the shotgun as they they like to do very often with you know the inside and the outside the reads uh Nick fos is lined up under Center I think that Lan mcy said he felt like that helped him just because of being able to line up in the back field behind Nick Foles and be able to see you know pre- snap or as he's getting the ball you know where he's going to run where the lane is and everything and really just the the play of the offensive line just execution was better I mean Nick FES uh he had time to throw and aside from two turnovers which are terrible he had two really bad interceptions but you know you take those away which you can't easily just do but you do for the sake of this discussion and you know he looks sharp sharper than he really has all season uh so maybe he kind of turned a corner in that respect again lesan McCoy looked great cuz not only did he look rejuvenated but he was given room to run David Mo who's filling in for uh injured starting center Jason Kelce had a really good game Mo's been really struggling here in in uh replacing Kelsey but he for whatever reason maybe just you know getting a few starts under his belt has helped maybe kind of these guys are getting more experience and feeling more comfortable at where they're at uh it'll be interesting to see though like you raised a good point you know is this going to be them turning the corner or was that just one game you know we'll see here on Sunday and so you you brought up you brought up um Nick Foles interesting interesting concept between interesting contrast between the 2013 season that he had with the only the two interceptions kind of very odd the way the season turned out because um a guy in Arizona myself I never thought a whole lot about Nick Foles in terms of a Pro Prospect but to have the year that he had a season ago and then coming down to earth this the you mentioned in in the Q&A that we did natural there's regression so he's going to regress naturally to the mean because uh uh you know even the greatest quarterbacks in history don't have seasons like like fos had a season ago so naturally there's going to be that but aside from the injuries to the offensive line is there was there any worry so far that he isn't well do there any question of the type of quarterback that Nick Foles is is he last year is he this year or is he somewhere in between you know I I I almost don't know what to to make of Nick FS right now I mean you know he has that awesome season last year I think everyone's just ready to buy in and say wow this is the guy you know 27 and two not too many quarterbacks have done that not too many quarterbacks have throwing seven touchdowns in one game uh the guy's Jersey is in the Hall of Fame for that so you know you're looking at this stuff and you're like you know this guy's legit he has to be you know or else you know is this guy just a total fluke I don't think people want to believe that and I don't I don't think he he really is I think there's more evidence to suggest that you know this isn't just a one-year Wonder kind of thing but it you know you do Wonder because now he he leads the NFL in turnovers or at least he did at the buy he's something of like one of eight quarterbacks to have less than 60% completion percentage and then average and that company is as you noted is isn't good no it is not good at all it's it's just you know so you associate him with those names in that context and you're just like wow you know this guy is really not performing well and at the same time A lot of people are going to say oh but the Eagles are 5- one so you know they're they'll throw that number in your face and that's all well and good and it's true obviously to to some extent he's playing well enough that they can win because they're winning but at the same time you think you know you even mentioned it you know you have these defensive touchdowns and you have these special teams touchdowns to an extent they're winning in spite of his performance at times he really needs to be better moving forward uh he's he's eligible for a contract after the season I think the way he's played right now you can't really give it to him because you just don't know who this guy is fully yet so but again that can change and I think you know this is the time now down the stretch to to Really erase all that doubt from the early season struggles and he can really just put that behind him if he lights it up down the stretch here so what is the the injury say Obviously Kelsey Kel's not back at practice but he's not eligible to come off IR for another two weeks correct that's no that's matthysse that's matthysse got it okay so is Kelsey in line perhaps to play this weekend uh I believe not uh theoretically it's possible but it's I don't really think it's going to happen at all because he just returned to practice this week you know I think he's still a week or two away as far as uh Darren sprouls and Michael Kendricks though I think both of those players have a chance to play but with Kendricks it's kind of looking more and more doubtful that he he is going to return he's been out since week two with a calf injury uh that's a big loss for the Eagles because not only is he a good inside linebacker who can cover and defend against the run but he's also really good as a pass rusher and Eagles pass rush has been good in recent weeks but still you know you like to have him out there and then Darren sprouls is he's just been huge for Philadelphia I mean you I mentioned an offense that struggled early on this season he's the one guy who's been consistent and even just as a punt returner he's I he's he's he has 280 punt return yards which is you know leading the league by a lot I think the the next closest returner doesn't even have 100 less than him so I mean he's been vital and it looks like he's he might be a game time decision none of this is official yet because the Eagles are pretty secretive with their injury status they don't reveal much at all In classical Chip Kelly style yes well that is uh back when he was at Oregon uh apparently he would used to to put like boots on players you know who weren't even hurt at all just to mess with you know like the media cuz they'd have to release an injury report you know he could just try to fake people out so yeah so we really don't know but uh you know the Eagles are really going to need sprouls at least and if they don't have them it's going to be a big loss I I I would have to agree thus far in the season now in terms of what you say would you say who's been the most impactful player or more important player overall to to their 51 start has it been McCoy or is it sprouls not saying that sprouls is a more important player than McCoy obviously McCoy is the Bellow of that team uh but sprouls is the guy that really scares me as a fan going into that game because of the wild card that he is especially how in the world of the how the world the Eagles even manage to get lesea McCoy and Darren spls in the same team that's like Drafting and Madden on that fan on that on you know on the fantasy draft and managing to get that and pton man how do you do that I you know it was it was funny CU you look at where was the Saints and the Saints were just willing to to they were willing to cut him uh cuz you know they they were tight on the cap and they kind of wanted to make these big moves they wanted to sign jarus bird and they wanted to uh you know they they wanted to I don't know who else have they got I'm I'm trying to think here but they wanted to clear up cap space and they didn't want sprouls at the the number that they had them at they had the pay Jimmy Graham too right oh yeah that that's what I was missing there so they they depay Jimmy Graham uh and you know I they probably should have kept him cuz I mean you you get this fifth round pick for him and the Saints are you know they're what two and five or two and four now I mean they've been struggling but it it was kind of amazing when the Eagles got him because it it the I wrote the the story that I wrote at the time that the trade broke the subtitle I remember clear's day was Chip Kelly just got another weapon and that was the case and it it almost seem like wow these guys are crazy you know they're giving Chip Kelly Darren sprouls you know a guy who's not a full-time player but he's very dangerous in The Limited role that he plays and it's it's kind of been a complete Revelation uh as far as sprouls has played I think through already just I think through the first four games of the Season he had already broken a career long rushing yard in week one he had like a 49 yard run for a touchdown Which broke a career high in week two he had a career high in receiving yards in a game it was over 150 and then in week four he had a career-long punt return against the 49ers and this is a guy who's played in for the in the NFL for 10 years yes yes 31 that's that's quite amazing so what does he do what does he do to the offense obviously now do they use McCoy and spls in the back field at the same time at all or is it more of a sub type thing do they manage to get both of them in the game at the same time it's more of a sub type thing the the Eagles really chip chip talks about often you know how they're they're really just a one running back uh system so Les bow and tweeted out earlier today after practice it said well both Kendricks and and sprouls listed it limited again um don't think that bodess well would you think based on just Bowen's assessment of the team is that probably uh you said Kendrick's probably not a go sprouls maybe a game time decision would you lean towards that that sprouls might not be playing I would say uh well here's the thing about sprouls when he first got hurt it looked bad but there was a report shortly afterwards that he was going to miss at least one or two games so in that sense you almost want to think he is going to miss this week just based on that first report but based on everything that's going on this week and that he's kind of back earlier than anticipated it kind of seems like he is going to be that game time decision so I don't want to rule him out at all but with Kendricks it is looking doubtful at this point to me that he is going to play so correct me if I'm wrong the sprouls injury I believe believe when I read it was the same thing that Kus Campbell suff so was an MCL strain or so it's a partial tear of the MCL right and so that's exactly what Kus Campbell suffered on on that chop block by Julius Thomas in Denver uh the prognosis was one to three weeks it looks like yeah with Campbell he started he went to practice on Thursday for the first time and it looks like he might play and it looks like kind of the same scenario he's been out two weeks and it's that the same same thing for sprouls he's been out for two weeks already right CU he suffered the injury against the Giants and then you know he had uh the by week so so yeah so it's kind of looking like the same situation sprouls might play K Campbell might play and and in that sense that let's go to Kendrick what does that do differently to for the defense I know he's been he's kind of been a Difference Maker in terms of the dynamic of the defense has he not he has been because uh like just like I said earlier just as a pass rusher he's that's just a really underrated aspect of his game you know obviously when you think about pass rush uh 34 or 4-3 you're always thinking defensive end outside linebacker whatever you're not thinking so much on the inside but he really does bring that pressure from the inside and so you you don't have him there I mean he's just a playmaker he he can run to the ball faster you know he can cover guys when you have these these Subs in for him you have Casey Matthews who's actually performed a lot better than anyone can expect but he's he's not going to cover anyone he's more of just a downhill guy you know a twood down linebacker em manacho you know a brother of a certain Cardinals player yes yes Sam AO uh you know again like he tries hard smart player but really just not special in anyway and then uh the eagles use their first round pick Marcus Smith uh as like kind of like a nickel linebacker on third down more so of a coverage guy he is he is intriguing athleticism but it's a new position for him so it's only bound uh or he's only going to be prone to make mistakes at times which happened in week four when the Eagles were playing the 49ers and there was a play where Colin Kaepernick scrambled to his left kind of you know the play kind of broke and Marcus Smith you know new position forgot to stay with Frank Gore and that you know that that was a big touchdown I think it was like a 55 Yard Runner or 55 Yard catch and run for Frank Gore for a touchdown so with with Kendrick's not there you know it's it's significant and he hasn't been there since week three and the Eagles have been getting by they've only lost one of those games but you know they're definitely better with him so you had the addition of sprouls this year on offense there was the loss of Deshawn Jackson that was some that was that was all sorts of fun the things that came out right before and right after um but in some ways you can tell offensively that they miss the what he brings to the table how different is this year's office offense in terms of what they try to do obviously the results haven't been the same thus far really uh but what have they what are they doing differently now without justan Jackson um I I I sense there is a little bit of disappointment in Riley Cooper's performance as far this year but what are they doing differently this year that with the addition of sprouls but the subtraction Jackson you know it's funny because I I almost haven't noticed a huge difference in terms of you know what their attack is I mean they've still been throwing deep a lot they threw deep a lot last year the problem is just I think a lot of it is unfolds he's not getting the ball to where it needs to be especially on these deep passes he's it's always underthrown or a couple a few have been underthrown and picked off uh I don't know if really that's an issue between him and Jeremy mcklin that's mostly who he's targeting deep anyway Jeremy Macklin it's it's not like Jeremy mcklin is slow by any means I mean you look at this guy he has a lot of talent and he's he's having a pretty good year and he's getting open that's the thing you look at all 22 or you just see it during the game you know Macklin has his man beat he has a couple steps on him but fos is either overthrowing it or the ball just isn't on target I mean that almost seems like it's a a chemistry issue or a timing issue there not so much as you know some people will say you know well if you had Deshawn Jackson it's going to be harder to overthrow him and in theory that makes sense but you know this is the end you still have to throw balls on target right yeah that doesn't that doesn't I don't know how that gives FES a pass I mean you have to complete the the the target you have to complete a pass to an open guy and he for whatever reason he just has been terrible with the Deep ball and I you know maybe that goes back to the running game because you know they're not getting the the play action set up they're not the timing isn't there you know it it's really it almost seems like it's this one big problem and I really don't think it's just Deshawn so if if looking at the match up with the Cardinals Cardinals right now are are number one against the Run uh in the NFL what what do you say are are Philadelphia's chances looking at if they're unable to do the on offense what they want to do in the running game say they're only able to rush between 75 70 and 80 yards a game in in a contest how does that change how does that affect what they try to do offensively and what sort of a chance would you give the the Eagles if they're unable to move the ball on the ground like they like to well we saw two games this year where the Shawn McCoy just couldn't get anything going and one of those was in week three against the Washington Redskins and that put a lot of pressure on Nick fos to step up and to his credit he played pretty well that was I believe you could say that was his best game probably of the season and you know he didn't have running game Washington completely shut McCoy down and McCoy actually suffered something of a concussion in that game and SPS really didn't do much Eric Winston would disagree with that comment cuz you are a concer you're there's no mild there's no kind of you either con Custer or not so so he was out and then uh FES really stepped up in that game but then you look at the next week and you know McCoy couldn't get anything going against the 49ers who as you know have a pretty stout run defense and a lot of the pressure was on fos and he couldn't get anything going that was just a terrible awful game for him so you know I don't like F's chances if the Run game isn't going at all I don't think the eagles need to run crazy over Arizona to to be successful I just think they need to to get the Run game going to where it's you know some at least you know theoretically a threat you know not just can't just be totally ineffective that that makes sense um I'm gonna I'm gonna pull the attention a little bit towards the the whole Philadelphia not over here on the West Coast now I I'm familiar with chep Kelly um I'm a Pack 12 guy been here in Arizona my entire life follow Arizona State so I I was actually kind of happy to see Chip Kelly go I'm I'm gonna be honest um but Philadelphia is known for not being a happy place when it comes to sports even when they're even when things are good they're still not really happy uh what's that case right now is Philadelphia happy with the Eagles do they excited or is there is there's always a little bit of tension underneath that they don't think that it's good enough I I think there's always a there's always this sense you know they're not going to be good enough or they're not good enough especially because they're only in year two of Chip Kelly I really don't think it's to the point where like uh everyone is ready to see this team as a legitimate Contender even though they are 5 in one and you know they do look like one of the better teams than the NFC I would say uh but I think there there is a decent amount of optimism going forward just because of that Giants win was it was so big and like I said then you go into the buy so you're still feeling great after that win a whole week later because you know it's carrying over uh but I think we're going to find out a lot about this team going down the stretch here they have a lot of games coming up uh they face the Cowboys twice which is going to be huge I mean this Cardinals game is obviously big uh because that's it's the best team they've really played at least in a while since the 49ers uh you know there's a lot of questions to be answered with this team like you said earlier just even Nick Foles and then is this is this defense what just pits to shut out is it that legitimate or is that just a fluke is the Run game really back there's a lot of questions here and I think a lot of people you know want to see those answered before they're fully ready to you know say all right you know we're ready to go into the playoffs we're a legitimate Contender we have a shot just as good as anyone okay we'll hit down the stretch uh there the NFC West has a reputation of being the best division in the NFL uh so far it looks like the 4 ners and the and the Seahawks taken bit a step back and the AFC West who had three playoff teams a season ago they still look pretty good but they do have the Raiders who are winless so you have to kind of look at them the NFC East Dallas six- one Philadelphia it's at 5- one Giants who you never know what the they're they're talented but they don't always put it together and then you've got the you've got the Redskins uh give your case what what would you say the NFC West is NFC East is better than any NFC west or and the AFC West uh concurrently make your case is the NFC East better than the NFC West and why well that's a good question I think the NFC West has more depth I think uh I think the NFC is a little more topheavy with the Eagles and the and the and the uh Cowboys looking you know pretty good where you have the NFC West with the Cardinals looking good I'm not sure they're on the Eagles or the Eagles Cowboys level I know that's not going to go over well in this podcast but um I just want to see more from the Cardinals before I see but you're not the only understandably they are 5- one they've beaten some really good teams but they haven't put together a complete football game yet they've either not done it on offense they've not done it completely on defense or they've had flaws on special teams but they're beating good teams but yeah that's why the I know the Nations hasn't gone on board with them because of that right and then you have you know the Seahawks who obviously are the champions and they've kind of slumped here in recent weeks but even though they're losing I mean they're not looking terrible it's not like they're getting blown out or anything here I mean they're still in these games there's still a lot of Talent on that team 49ers obviously talented team as well just really weird coaching situation there though like I just really can't figure out what's going on San Francisco and the coach probably isn't going to be back next year and they're even if they win the Super Bowl apparently so I have no idea what to make of them and then the Rams you know they're I said it last year you know I really took a liking to the Rams last year because even though you know at the bottom of the division if you could take like every team from that's fourth place in the division and create like a tournament out of that I mean the Rams are going to beat everyone easy they're they're they had to be the the best worst team in the division because you know with the back of quarterback and this year with a third string quarterback yeah so I mean you know veteran coats some some mix of talent there so I think there's better depth there I think you know you you don't find that same kind of depth with the Redskins at the bottom even though you know they they played some close games they played Arizona relatively tough for for having been on a short week and uh having Kirk Cousins start who as we know now just you know got bed for Colt McCoy that's uh that's so fun that's so fun when the teams in your division have have Strife it's so good for your team when the other teams in the division have problems I I will I will I don't feel bad at all to see the whole Seattle thing the Percy it's it's fun to watch a team have tension and and the whole coaching situation so yeah that's fun to see from from a division perspective to see that fun around the division I'm sure it's not very fun for Phil Eagles fans to see the Cowboys doing well though I it's it's a I think it's a big surprise to not only Eagles fans but just the whole NFL I think we're we're all very surprised to see the Cowboys at uh what they're six in one now and looking good doing it and looking really good doing it yikes they are legitimate there's no fluke about what they're doing I don't think they're a fluky team I the only thing I wonder about them is you know I think we all have to wonder is how sustainable is it I mean you you you're working DeMarco Murray on a pace that's you know unprecedented and this historical carry number rate and they're giving him so much work you just wonder you know if this run Game Stops that Dallas defense still isn't very talented I think they're something like second to last in yards per play so they're still giving up yards it's just that they're not on the field because the Run game it really is controlling you know the Run game is hiding that defense so I have my questions in terms not of terms of uh that they're legit but just you know how long it'll last and maybe it does last I don't know we'll see It'll be I can guar to you this even though you know this is an Cardinals podcast I'm sure Cardinal fans will enjoy those Eagles Cowboys games this year I I'm sure will especially we got Dallas F the following week in Dallas after after Philadelphia um one here's the prediction I I'm I'm obviously taking a lot of heat for my prediction over when in our five questions when you asked me for my prediction I said a a 2713 Cardinals win I am taking a lot of heat from your readers right now oh yeah um I I don't think it will be that highs scoring overall I don't think it will be a shootout at all U I think especially if Darren sprouls is not in the game I'm going to stand by my prediction but but now I forgot to ask you that in in the five questions I was going to do the plus one and at a and a prediction I don't know why I didn't put it there maybe it was because I was writing the questions late at night I'm not sure but give us give us your prediction for the game this Sunday and and what will be the big takeaways some some big predictions that you have well I'll start off with one thing you know that I do want to mention and that is you know the Cardinals have not turned the ball over this year I think they only have four and that's pretty impressive and the Eagles on the other hand are are second have the second most turnovers so that is a huge concern but with that said I think there are positives to be taken for Philadelphia from this Giants performance and I think they go into Arizona and I think you know even though the Eagles won last year I do feel like this is almost sort of a Revenge game for them as weird as that may sound because you know we we talked about this in the the question exchange I think more so the fans were were slighted by the fact that you know the Cardinals are head coach Brans kind of complained a little about the cause that you know the iffy cause I think this is a situation where the Eagles are like it's kind of like a boxing match where you know the guy you know you have your champion and he beats the guy but he kind of wants to you know beat him again just to prove you know there's nothing fluky about it we won you know it was legitimate so of course I have to pick the Eagles here to win I'm taking them 30 to 203 okay that that's a Val and and in terms of that do you have any big predictions or or bold predictions big takes and thinks that you that'll that are going to happen during the game obviously 30 points would be a big deal if Cardinal give up 30 points yes uh I I think Nick FES will look surprisingly sharp I think one thing that I undersold at least in the preview or something was that you know I was looking at the Cardinals pass rush and obviously this changes if uh Campbell can play which seems a little on short right now can't count on it uh I'm not super impressed with that pass rush and I I feel like if you give Nick folos the time and the Cardinal's uh pass the past defense numbers haven't been awesome I feel like you know maybe he does have a decent game here okay uh Arizona Carlos fans this has been Brandon Brandon gon from bleeding green Nation tell us how we can how we can follow you on Twitter uh and as a question how many days is the weight period before when you join the site before you can comment well the weight period is one day so you know if you w to if you want to make fun of the Eagles or something here uh definitely sign up now so you you can get that in uh and then of course you can follow me uh on Twitter Brandon gon that's b r n d o n g w t n also follow the bleeding green account uh for our site Twitter and then obviously check us out uh bleeding green nation and then our podcast BGN radio all right thank you Brandon really appreciate the the time on the show uh thank you so much and well we'll see what happens on Sunday sounds good you've been listening to revenge of the birds keep the conversation going by visiting visiting Revenge ofthe birds.com follow us on Twitter at Revenge ofb birds you can also find us on iTunes at facebook.com/ revenge of thee Birds [Music] [Applause] oh [Music]