Eagles stunned by Kyler Murray, Cardinals, 35-31
JAMES CONNER rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 32 seconds to play and the Arizona Cardinals stunned the host Philadelphia Eagles 35-31 to leave the National Football Conference (NFC) playoff picture in disarray.
Needing a stop to halt their December slide, the Eagles’ defense fell flat, allowing touchdowns on all four possessions with 29 second-half points and dropping out of first place in the NFC East.
With the Philadelphia (11-5) loss, the Cowboys (11-5) are in the driver’s seat in the division and the San Francisco 49ers (12-4) clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Mr. Murray was rarely pressured after a first-half interception and completed 25 of 31 passes for 232 yards and three TDs.
James Conner had 26 carries for 128 yards and Greg Dortch caught a game-high seven passes for 82 yards. Murray hit Dortch for a 36-yard gain to the Eagles’ 5 and a first-and-goal with 41 ticks left.
If Dallas beats the Washington Commanders next week, the Cowboys win the division and host a playoff game in the first round. That result would send the Eagles on the road for a wild-card game.
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles had only 275 total yards to Arizona’s 449. The Cardinals dominated time of possession behind Mr. Conner (39:39 to 20:21).
Mr. Hurts set the Eagles up for a go-ahead field goal with a short completion to Kenneth Gainwell to the Arizona 25. The Cardinals called timeout prior to Jake Elliott’s 43-yarder sailing through with 2:33 on the clock.
Mr. Murray had the Cardinals at the Arizona 43 at the two-minute warning and at Philadelphia’s 41 just 34 seconds later. Murray’s third touchdown pass of the second half, a 5-yard connection with Michael Wilson, tied the game at 28 with 5:26 remaining.
Arizona’s furious second-half comeback from a 21-6 deficit began with Mr. Murray’s 6-yard toss to running back Michael Carter before Mr. Murray and running back James Conner hooked up from 5 yards out just over six minutes later.
Mr. Wilson snagged the two-point pass from Mr. Murray to tie the game at 21. A sprint right away by Hurst from pressure on 3rd-and-4 with 9:55 left in the game allowed tight end Dallas Goedert time to shake loose two steps into the endzone and a 28-21 Eagles’ lead.
Mr. Murray overthrew everyone in the Arizona route pattern with the Eagles ahead 7-3 in the second quarter.
Eagles safety Sydney Brown caught the third-down floater at the 1 and returned it 99 yards for a pick-6 and 14-3 Philadelphia lead.
Wide receiver Julio Jones caught the opening score from Mr. Hurts and tacked on another to give Philadelphia its 21-6 lead when he caught a dart from Hurts at the 6 and plowed through three closing defensive backs. It was Mr. Jones’ 14th career two-TD game and first since October 2020. — Field Level Media
