Eagles vs. Cardinals Final Score: Philadelphia crushes Arizona thanks to big day from Carson Wentz, 34-7

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field by a final score of 34 to 7. The Eagles advanced to 4-1 on the 2017 NFL regular season. Read on for a recap and observations from the game. Up next for Philadelphia is a Thursday night road game against the Carolina Panthers. Watch the BGN Radio postgame show LIVE in the video below (click here if you can’t see it).

FIRST QUARTER

Eagles win the coin toss and elect to defer. Cardinals up on offense first.

The Cardinals ran for a short gain and then Jalen Mills broke up two passes, including one intended for Larry Fitzgerald, to force a three-and-out. Great start by the defense. A nice 19-yard punt return by Kenjon Barner set the Eagles up at midfield.

Stefen Wisniewski got the start at left guard and LeGarrette Blount got the start at running back. After taking a sack from Chandler Jones, who beat Jason Peters, Carson Wentz hit Zach Ertz over the middle for a first down on 3rd-and-long. Then Wentz hit Alshon Jeffery for another first on 3rd-and-long. Wentz has been so great in those situations this season. Then Wentz hit Trey Burton on a slot fade for a 15-yard Eagles touchdown. Beautiful pass. Nice catch as well. Surgical accuracy from Wentz on this drive. Eagles lead, 7-0.

Malcolm Jenkins broke up a pass over the middle intended for Fitzgerald. Eagles doing a good job of stopping the Eagles Killer early on. Brandon Graham notched a sack to force the Cardinals into 3rd-and-16. Arizona has to punt. Jalen Mills got banged up on this drive but later returned.

Barner does a great job of returning a punt for 76 yards. Welcome back! The Eagles start in the red zone and Wentz connects with Ertz for a touchdown. What a start! Eagles lead, 14-0.

The Cardinals took back over and couldn’t get anything going. Tackle for loss by Timmy Jernigan. Then Patrick Robinson dropped an interception that had the potential to be a pick-six. The Linc would have exploded if that was caught. Arizona ended up having to punt. Then they had to punt again because the first one was wiped out by a Ifeanyi Momah (!) holding penalty. It was shanked but it got a good roll to go 50 yards. Lucky.

Another Eagles drive, ANOTHER Eagles touchdown. Wentz to Torrey Smith, who caught the ball, for a 59-yard touchdown. Holy crap. The route is on. Eagles lead, 21-0.

AWESOME touchdown celebration BTW.

Palmer had another pick dropped. By Robinson again.

The Eagles’ first quarter ended to a standing ovation from the fans. The Linc was rocking.

SECOND QUARTER

Robinson’s drop turned out to be costly because the Cardinals were able to drive into the red zone. Palmer hit John Brown in the end zone for an Arizona touchdown. Bad series for Mills, who was beat in coverage multiple times. Maybe feeling effects from getting hurt earlier in the game? Beau Allen got banged up on this drive. Eagles lead, 21-7.

Rain picking up at the Linc. Chance Warmack in at left guard. The rotation continues. Immediately gave up a near-sack. Brandon Brooks called for a (questionable) holding penalty to set the Eagles back at 2-and-17 from the 28. Wentz fails to connect with Jeffery on a deep pass. Looked like Jeffery may have been at fault there more than Wentz, bad route. Barner picks up a big gain on third down but Doug Pederson elects to punt instead of going for it on fourth down. Philadelphia fans rejoice.

Cardinals start out pinned in their own territory due to a holding penalty on the punt. Derek Barnett gets called up for roughing the passer. Bad mistake by the rook. He came so close to a sack there, too. Vinny Curry makes up for the mistake by sacking Palmer to force 3rd-and-long. First one for him this season. Eagles defense picks up the stop.

Warmack at left guard again. Three-and-out. Things were working with Wisniewski. Why switch?

Jenkins tackles a Cardinals receiver short of the sticks to force an incompletion. Nice game so far by Jenk. Cards punt after going three-and-out.

Wis back in at left guard. Wentz picks up a first down with his legs to bring the first half to the 2-minute warning. The Eagles pick up 22-yard on a well-designed screen to Corey Clement. Wentz targets Marcus Johnson (!) over the middle for a first down. Wentz throws an almost-pick to Patrick Peterson but the cornerback can’t hold on as he jumps along the sideline. Then Wentz throws a pick in the end zone. His pass for Ertz sailed a little high and got intercepted. Killer mistake that erases a chance for the Eagles to go up by three possessions and then get the ball back at the beginning of the second half.

Palmer had a deep pass that sailed over the outstretched arm of Rasul Douglas, who jumped too early, but fortunately John Brown dropped it. Could have been a touchdown. Arizona moves into field goal range. And the kick is ... BLOCKED! Nice job by Robinson. Eagles preserve their 14 point lead going into the half.

THIRD QUARTER

Lane Johnson was ruled out for the game due to a head injury upon returning from halftime. Uh, that’s a big loss. Halapoulivaati Vaitai in at right tackle. Nelson Agholor had a pass go off his hands but Wentz came right back to him to gain 17 yards for a first down on 3rd-and-11. Redemption. Wentz hits Smith and then Ertz, who ran through contact after the catch (!) to move the chains. A short run from Blount got the Eagles into the red zone. Wentz had Ertz wide open on third down ... but the quarterback simply just threw way behind in and into the ground. Wtf? Eagles settle for a 36-yard field goal. Three possession game with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter. Eagles lead, 24-7.

Two tackles for loss, both from Brandon Graham, set the Eagles up in 3rd-and-15 from their own 8-yard line. Beast. Palmer’s throw is short of the sticks. Punt.

Blount got called for holding on first down to set the Eagles at 1st-and-20 from their own 27. Eagles get to 3rd-and-19. AND THEN WENTZ AIRS IT OUT DEEP TO AGHOLOR. IT’S CAUGHT. AGHOLOR GETS THE BALL AND JUKES THE CRAP OUT OF ROOKIE SAFETY BUDDA BAKER. THEN FALLS BACKWARDS INTO THE END ZONE FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. HOLY F****** S***! THAT WAS INCREDIBLE. SO DISRESPECTFUL BY NELSON (IN A GOOD WAY). I CAN’T STOP TYPING IN ALL CAPS. Eagles lead, 31-7.

Forgive me but Agholor’s touchdown was so good that it caused me to forget what happened on the Cardinals’ next offensive drive. They didn’t score, though, so I guess it was a punt.

Blount ran through a HUGE hole to put the Eagles around the midfield mark. But then the Eagles had to settle for a punt.

FOURTH QUARTER

Beau Allen forced Palmer into underthrowing a deep shot. Mills got his hands on it but Brown knocked the ball out as the cornerback went to the ground. Lot of dropped interceptions today. Robinson tipped a deep pass that Corey Graham had a chance to pick but the safety couldn’t come up with it. Robinson having hell of a season, man. Cards go for it on 4th-and-8 but get stopped. Turnover on downs.

Eagles methodically drive into the end zone while killing some clock. Barner draws a pass interference penalty to help the Eagles move the ball even more. Blount rushes for a touchdown to seal the game ... nope. Called back due to a hold on Warmack. Philly settles for a 28-yard field goal from Elliott to ice the game. That’s a nice 9:14 drive.

The Cardinals drove into scoring range as the Eagles used prevent defense. Robinson whiffed badly on an open field tackle and J.J. Nelson scored a touchdown. Except he didn’t. Because he fumbled the ball out of the end zone as he reached out for the goal line. Credit Rodney McLeod with the strip.

Victory formation.

EAGLES WIN! FINAL SCORE: 34-7

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