With 2 minutes and 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the once 11-4 Philadelphia Eagles found themselves tied at 31 with the struggling 3-12 Arizona Cardinals. A series of questionable play calls left the Eagles settling for a field goal, allowing the Cardinals to march down the field and secure a 35-31 victory. This defeat marked the Eagles' fourth loss in five games after a promising 10-1 start.
The Eagles' head coach, Nick Sirianni, defended the play calls, but many criticized the conservative approach against a seemingly overmatched Cardinals team. The Cardinals' head coach, Jonathan Gannon, formerly the Eagles' defensive coordinator during their last Super Bowl run, devised a winning game plan that exposed the Eagles' defensive vulnerabilities.
Philadelphia's defense, once a formidable unit, failed to stop the Cardinals, who didn't punt once and scored four consecutive touchdowns. The run defense struggled against James Conner, who ran for 128 yards, and the pass rush was nearly nonexistent. The Eagles' decision to attempt an onside kick with 5:19 remaining further highlighted their defensive concerns.
The Eagles, once in control of the NFC East, now face the prospect of playing their postseason games on the road. Despite defensive playcalling changes earlier in the season, the Eagles' defense has regressed, and their once-promising season is now in jeopardy.