The Eagles were on the goal line in the closing moments of the game with a chance for a touchdown. All they needed was a yard. They couldn't get it.
Instead, the Eagles settled for a field goal and put it in the hands of a defense that had been solid all afternoon. They were just four of the 18 points the Eagles potentially gave away on Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinals stormed down the field and took the lead in just seconds on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to John Brown. The Eagles attempted a game-winning drive and from the 16-yard line, missed a chance as Nick Foles pass to Jordan Matthews was caught but out of bounds as time expired, sending the Eagles to a 24-20 loss at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Eagles took the early lead as Foles found Jeremy Maclin for a 21-yard touchdown with 4:39 to play in the first.
Early in the second, the Cardinals tied things up as Andre Ellington ran into the endzone for a one-yard touchdown.
That was the second going into the half, but the Eagles had two costly turnovers that could have changed the score. A screen play by Foles sent Josh Huff chugging toward the endzone. But he fumbled the ball and it was recovered by the Cardinals at the two.
Folw also threw an interception to Antonio Cromartie in the endzone to cost the Eagles more points from inside the redzone.
Seconds into the third, Larry Fitzgerald made his mark on the game, darting away from the Eagles defenders on an 80-yard touchdown catch and run.
Cody Parkey trimmed the lead with a 54-yard field goal midway through the third and the Eagles took the lead with 2:22 to play on a 54-yard pass from Foles to Maclin.
The Cardinals tied the game on a 28-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro with 9:01 to play.
The Eagles used their next possession to run the clock down to under two minutes, capping the drive with a 20-yard field goal by Parkey. The play before, the Eagles had failed to run the ball in from the one-yard line.
On the ensuing Cardinals possession, Palmer hit a streaking Brown for a 75-yard touchdown pass, giving the Cardinals the lead.
The Eagles final drive started with 1:21 to play and at their own 20. With 13 seconds left, the Eagles were down to the Cardinals 16-yard line.
Foles first two passes to the endzone were knocked incomplete. On the final play of the game with one second left, Foles threw to the corner of the endzone where Matthews made the catch but out of bounds, ending the game and sealing the Cardinals win.
Foles attempted 62 passes and completed 36 for 411 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. LeSean McCoy rushed for 83 yards on 21 carries. Maclin had 12 catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Riley Cooper also had five catches for 88 yards.
Palmer was 20-for-42 on pass attempts for 329 yards and two touchdowns. Ellington rushed for 71 yards on 23 attempts. Fitzgerald and Brown led the Cardinals receivers. Fitzgerald had seven catches for 160 yards and a touchdown. Brown had five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.
Both teams finished with no sacks. Malcolm Jenkins led the team with five tackles. Nate Allen recorded the only turnover, forcing a fumble and recovering.
Tony Jefferson led the Cardinals with 12 tackles. Cromartie had both interceptions. Frostee Rucker forced the Eagles fumble which was recovered by Denoe Bucannon.
The Eagles dropped to 5-2 with the loss travel to face the Houston Texans next Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.
