Eagles dominate Cardinals from start to finish for 3rd straight win

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BOX SCORE

That was a beatdown.

Carson Wentz was great, the defense was stifling at times and Dave Fipp's special teams' group showed why it was it's considered one of the best in the NFL.

The Eagles simply crushed the Arizona Cardinals in all three phases Sunday at the Linc. The final score was 34-7 (see Roob's 10 observations)

And it wasn't that close.

With the win, the Eagles improved to 4-1 on the season. The Cardinals dropped to 2-3.

If fans weren't expecting the Eagles to make the playoffs before the start of the season, expectations might have changed now. Of the 339 teams to have four wins through five games, 234 have made the playoffs. That's 69 percent.

But nothing is guaranteed.

This is the first 4-1 start for the Eagles since 2014 — they did not make the playoffs that year.

Still, it would be hard for Eagles fans to not be encouraged by the first five weeks of the season (see report card). Their only loss came to the Chiefs, who many consider being the best team in football.

Sunday's game was the biggest win for the Eagles since their 34-3 win over the Steelers early last season.

Turning point
We'll just say the first drive. After a nice punt return from Kenjon Barner, the Eagles went 54 yards on 10 plays in 5:26.

The Eagles have now scored on their first possessions in four of five games this year, including three touchdowns. They never trailed Sunday.

Key stat
The Eagles came into Sunday as the second-best team in NFL on third down conversions. They kept it going against the Cardinals. They finished the game 9 for 14 (64 percent) after going 5 for 7 in the first half.

Offensive stud
Wentz came to play Sunday. He finished the game 21 for 30 for 300 yards, four touchdowns and one interception — a passer rating of 128.3. It was the best passer rating of Wentz's career.  

He became the first Eagles' quarterback to throw four touchdowns in a game since Nick Foles had his seven-touchdown game in 2013. Wentz was absolutely brilliant on third downs.

With touchdown passes of 72 and 59 yards, Wentz threw the second- and third-longest passes of his young career Sunday. 

Offensive dud
Another lackluster performance from Alshon Jeffery. It just didn't matter much.

Defensive stud
Vinny Curry picked up his first sack of the 2017 season and played well in the run game too. Brandon Graham was also a wrecking ball once again. Tim Jernigan had himself a game too. Credit the entire defensive line. They were difference-makers on Sunday.

And on the back end, Patrick Robinson had another good game. He had three pass breakups and probably should have had a couple interceptions.

Defensive dud
No one really had a bad game. Jalen Mills gave up the touchdown but made plenty of plays too.  

Special teams update
Barner filled the role of punt returner, setting up the Eagles with good field position a few times. The coverage units didn't give up anything. And Jake Elliott made two more field goals. He's made eight straight (see rookie report).

The Eagles' special teams unit is still really good. It made a difference Sunday.

Key plays
• The Eagles took 9:14 off the clock late in the game to ice it. They got the ball with over 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter and got the game all the way to the two-minute warning with the 13-play drive to send the capacity crowd home happy.

• On 3rd-and-19 in the third quarter, Wentz delivered a 72-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor. After catching the ball, Agholor juked safety Budda Baker bad before falling backward into the end zone. Ballgame.

• Wentz completed a 17-yard pass to Agholor on 3rd-and-11 in the third quarter on a drive that eventually led to a field goal. Wentz missed on a third-down throw to Zach Ertz a little later.

• Robinson got his hand on a 51-yard field goal attempt to keep the Cardinals from cutting even more into the Eagles' lead. A big blocked field goal.

• The Eagles had a chance to get another score toward the end of the first half but Wentz threw a bad interception in the end zone to Antoine Bethea, who got both feet down to give the Cardinals the ball back.

• Curry picked up his first sack of the season in the second quarter to force a long third-down situation for the Cardinals. They punted away.

• Carson Palmer hit Jaron Brown on a slant for a 13-yard touchdown pass. On the play, safety Rodney McLeod was blitzing but it looked like Mills might not have known. He let Brown past him; it looked like he thought he had help. The Cardinals converted three third downs on the drive.

• Wentz hit Torrey Smith for a 59-yard touchdown pass for a long touchdown. Coming into the week, Smith had really been struggling with four drops in four games. But Wentz kept going back to him. It was the second-longest pass of Wentz's young career.

• Barner had a huge 76-yard punt return that gave the Eagles great field position. Barner rejoined the team after Darren Sproles was lost for the season. Three plays later, Wentz hit Ertz for 11 yards and a touchdown.

• Wentz hit Trey Burton for a 15-yard touchdown on a fade. The Eagles converted on three third downs on this drive, including two 3rd-and-11s.

Injuries
Lane Johnson didn't come back out for the second half because of a head injury. Halapoulivaati Vaitai filled in. With the short week, it seems likely Big V will get the start Thursday.

Fletcher Cox (calf), Ronald Darby (ankle) and Wendell Smallwood (knee) all missed Sunday's game.

Up next
The Eagles have a few days to prepare for their Thursday Night Football game against the Panthers in Carolina. These turnarounds are always difficult and it won't be an easy game.

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