Arizona shocks Philadelphia – NFL Playoff simulation

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinals 3:00 ET FOX

Weather: Clear with highs in the mid to upper 70s and lows in the 40s.

For those keen enough to forecast this NFC Championship match-up, my hat goes off to you. The XBOX 360 didn’t forecast either of these teams to participate in this afternoon’s sports betting affair, but we can chalk what happened up to the old adage of “That’s why they play the games.” Nonetheless, the NFL betting season is still alive, allowing BetOnline Sportsbook members the opportunity to put their hard earned cash on the line when the Philadelphia Eagles (11-6-1, 12-6 ATS) look to win their third playoff game in a row on the road in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals (11-7, 11-7 ATS); kick-off is slated for 3:00 ET and the game can be seen nationally on FOX. The Eagles have cashed six of their 10 road games ATS this season, while Arizona managed to bring home the money in six of their nine home games.

These clubs last met back on Thanksgiving night where the Eagles took the visiting Cardinals out behind the woodshed and served up a good old fashioned turkey day beatdown. When the dust cleared, Philly came out victorious by a 48-20 final count. The 28-point victory saw them easily cover the three-point closing spread, and the combined 68-points soared over the 48.5-point closing ‘total.’ Philadelphia’s been a cash cow as a visitor for NFL bettors securing pointspread victories in 12 of its L/16 overall contests, but Arizona has done an admirable job protecting its home turf winning 7 of its L/10 ATS. The Eagles went 2-2-1 SU and ATS as a road favorite this season, while Arizona went 2-1 SU and ATS as a home underdog including their Wild Card round win over Atlanta.

1st Quarter:

The game couldn’t have started any better for the home team. After the Eagles returned the opening kick to their own 21-yard line, the Cardinals defense continued its unbelievable play by baiting QB Donovan McNabb into throwing an interception on the Eagles first play from scrimmage. AZ took over at Philadelphia’s 30-yard line.

After QB Kurt Warner’s first two passes fell incomplete, he hooked up with WR Larry Fitzgerald for a 10-yard gain to move the chains. RB Edgerrin James rumbled for six-yards on 1st down, and moved the chains on the very next play to set the Cardinals up 1st and goal at Philly’s six-yard line. After another positive James tote, the Cardinals scored the games first TD when Warner connected with RB Tim Hightower on a lateral up the gut.

Each of both team’s next four combined possessions saw no points get put on the board, but the Eagles got something together on their fourth possession of the game.

The drive started out at their own 25-yard line. After RB Brian Westbrook picked up seven yards on the Eagles first two plays from scrimmage, they were able to move the chains after Arizona got called for illegal touching before McNabb’s pass fell incomplete. Philly hit a huge play after the penalty when McNabb hit streaking WR Kevin Curtis in stride for a 23-yard gain. Now at midfield, McNabb played pass-and-catch with TE LJ Smith on back-to-back plays to get them down to AZ’s 30-yard line. McNabb’s success through the air continued on the very next play when he hooked up with WR Jason Avant for a 13-yard gain to get them in the red zone. The quarter ended with Philly staring at a 3rd and goal from AZ’s 8-yard line.

PHILADELPHIA 0 ARIZONA 7

2nd QUARTER

The start of the 2nd quarter saw the Eagles get on the board immediately when McNabb found a wide open Westbrook at the 3-yard line. He made a quick move to get passed the first AZ defender and then crashed into a wall of Cardinal defenders at the goal line, but managed to break the plane of the goal line with the tip of the pigskin to knot the game up at 7’s.

The Cardinals managed to get down to the Eagles 44-yard line on their next possession, but HC Ken Whisenhunt elected to punt and play the field position game rather than go for it on 4th and 5. The Eagles took possession of the ball at their own 20 after P Ben Graham’s punt unfortunately skipped into the endzone.

McNabb’s 2nd and 3rd down passes fell incomplete after Westbrook gained 3-yards on 1st down, and the Eagles were forced to punt. Rocca’s punt got deflected though, and the Cardinals special teams set the offense up with solid field position at their own 46-yard line.

The Cardinals weren’t able to do anything with it and punted the ball away, but their defense got the ball right back after they forced another three and out.

The Cardinals got all the way down to the Eagles 29-yard line, but Warner’s 3rd down pass fell incomplete. K Neil Rackers was called upon to give the home team back the lead, and did just that when his 46-yarder split the uprights to conclude the first half of play.

PHILADELPHIA 7 ARIZONA 10

3rd Quarter

The Cardinals could do absolutely nothing with their first possession of the second half, and punted the ball after a three and out.

Philadelphia took over on its own 38 and proceeded to march right down the field. RB Westbrook ripped off a 13-yard gain on 1st down to get them passed midfield, but the drive stalled at the Cardinals 30-yard line. Instead of going for it on 4th and 1, head coach Andy Reid elected to go with K David Akers. The veteran failed though, as his 47-yard attempt sailed wide right.

Arizona took over on its own 37-yard line and looked to RB James to do some more of the bruising running he’s displayed in the post-season. He moved the chains after he picked up a 4-yard gain on 3rd down, and then Warner hit WR Anquan Boldin for a 23-yard connection that moved the Cardinals all the way down to the Eagles 29-yard line. After moving the chains on another Boldin reception, the Cardinals were moved 10-yards back on a holding penalty. Warner tried to recover the lost ground on the next three plays, but came up 7-yards short of moving the chains. Rackers successfully converted his second attempt of the day, and the Cardinals increased their lead to six with 2+ minutes remaining in the quarter.

After moving the chains once, McNabb and the Eagles were forced to punt to set the Cardinals up 1st and 10 from their own 22 with less than two minutes remaining in the third.

Philly’s “D” stepped up and forced a three and out of their own and took possession of the ball at their own 35 to start the final quarter of play.

PHILADELPHIA 7 ARIZONA 13

4TH QUARTER

On 4th and 1 at their own 44, HC Reid elected to gamble and go for it. His gamble paid off when RB Westbrook managed to gain seven-yards to move the chains. Westbrook continued his onslaught on the Eagles next seven plays and managed to get Philly all the way down to the Cardinals 4-yard line after gaining six yards on 1st and goal. He finished off the drive with his second score of the day on the very next play. Akers extra point was good, and the Eagles held the slimmest of margins with 10 minutes left in the quarter.

After Westbrook showed off his running prowess on the Eagles last drive, RB James wanted in on his piece of the action and put the Cardinals offense on his back throughout the entirety of their next drive. AZ got past midfield in the blink of an eye after James carried the ball four times and picked up 23 yards. After an 8-yard pass interference call against the Eagles, he proceeded to run right at the Eagles once again and got them inside Philly’s red zone after a nine-yard tote. Unfortunately, he ran out of gas at this point, and Warner and company failed in their attempt to put six on the board. Instead, the Cardinals had to settle for another FG attempt that Rackers calmly nailed from 30-yards out to allow AZ to reclaim the lead.

Philly only had 1:35 to get into field goal range to punch their tickets to Super Bowl XLIII. The drive started off terribly though after McNabb threw an incomplete pass on 1st down, and then got dropped for a nine-yard loss on 2nd down forcing HC Reid to call a timeout. He did hit WR Curtis for a 13-yard gain on 3rd down to recover some of the lost yardage, but his 4th down pass fell to the Phoenix Stadium turf and the Eagles bid to win three in a row on the road fell short. Arizona took a couple knees and punched their tickets to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

FINAL SCORE: PHILADELPHIA 14 ARIZONA 16

This game simulation calls for an outright Arizona win and for the game to go under the posted ‘Total’. You can get Arizona (+4) –110 and the under 47 –110 at BetOnline.com right now!!!

  1 2 3 4 FINAL PHILADELPHIA 0 7 0 7 14 ARIZONA 7 3 3 3 16

QB Donovan McNabb: 18/36 154 yards 1 TD 2 INT

QB Kurt Warner: 23/43 208 yards 1 TD 0 INT

RB Brian Westbrook: 26 carries for 110 yards 2 TD Long of 9

RB Edgerrin James: 23 carries for 100 yards 0 TD Long of 13

WR Kevin Curtis: 5 receptions for 52 yards 0 TD Long of 23

WR Anquan Boldin: 9 receptions for 97 yards 0 TD Long of 23

  PHI AZ TOTAL OFFENSE 276 334 RUSHING YARDS 122 126 PASSING YARDS 154 208 1ST DOWNS 14 23 TOTAL YARDS 329 402 TURNOVERS 2 0 3RD DOWN CONV 7/18 38% 10/22 45% PENALTIES 6-63 3-38 TIME OF POSSESSION 26:27 33:33