Eagles vs. Cardinals: 10 players to watch in Week 17 matchup
The Eagles (11-4) are just three hours away from hosting the Cardinals (3-12) on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in an intriguing matchup that’ll see Jonathan Gannon return to Philadelphia for the first time since the Super Bowl 57 loss to Kansas City.
There are several vital storylines and matchups to watch, while the quarterback battle will feature two dual-threat stars in Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray.
With pregame warmups set to begin, we’re looking at ten players to watch on both team.
QB Kyler Murray
Since returning from a torn ACL, Murray has completed 62.3% of his passing, logging 1,305 yards through the air, with six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Sunday’s game marks the third meeting between Murray and Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.
In two meetings since 2022, the two signal-callers have combined 1,428 total yards (1,233 passing; 195 rushing) and 11 TDs (7 passing, 4 rushing).
RB James Conner
Conner returned to the lineup vs. Atlanta in Week 10 after missing the previous four games on IR with a knee injury. Since his return, Conner has rushed for 398 yards and three TDs on 87 carries (4.6 avg.), including 11 runs of 10+ yards.
In 11 games played this season, Conner has rushed for 762 yards and five TDs on 155 carries. His average of 4.92 yards per rush attempts ranks seventh in the NFL this season (min. 120 attempts).
TE Trey McBride
With two games remaining in 2023, second-year TE Trey McBride leads the Cardinals in both receptions (72) andreceiving yards (743) while adding two TD catches.
His 72 receptions are a franchise single season record by a TE, easily surpassing the previous mark of 56. McBride joined Hall of Famer Jackie Smith (3x) as the only TEs in franchise history with 700+ receiving yards in a season.
RB Emari Demercado
Signed by the Cardinals as a rookie free agent out of TCU in 2023, Demercado has rushed for 284 yards and two TDs on 58 carries (4.9 avg.) this season – despite missing three games due to injury.
Excluding the 1987 season which featured replacement players, Demercado’s 284 rushing yards are the most in franchise history by an undrafted rookie.
Dante Stills/BJ Ojulari
LB BJ Ojulari (2nd Rnd, 41st overall out of LSU) and DL Dante Stills (6th Rnd, 213th overall of out West Virginia) – have been among the Cardinals most productive defenders over the past two months.
Against Houston in Week 11, both recorded a sack in the same game. The duo combined for five tackles, 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss and two QB hits.
Ojulari (4.0) and Stills (3.5) are both among the rookie sack leaders in 2023.
2023 NFL Rookie Leaders – Sacks (Season)
Rnk Player (Team) Sacks
1t YaYa Diaby (TB) 6.5
1t Kobie Turner (LAR) 6.5
3 Byron Young (LAR) 6.0
4t Will Anderson (Hou) 5.0
4t Jalen Carter (Phi) 5.0
6 Tuli Tuipulotu (LAC) 4.5
7t BJ Ojulari (AZ) 4.0
7t Calijah Kancey (TB) 4.0
9t Dante SƟ lls (AZ) 3.5
9t Bryan Bresee (NO) 3.5
Linebacker Owen Pappoe
The rookie from Auburn earned his first start last weekend in Chicago, making the inside linebacker the 11th different rookie to start a game for the Cardinals this season.
OL Paris Johnson
A former All-American offensive tackle at Ohio State, Paris Johnson Jr. has been the only player to start all 15 games this season for Arizona.
He has yet to miss an offensive snap.
QB Jalen Hurts
Hurts’ 15 rushing TDs are the most by a QB in NFL history, breaking the previous mark set by Cam Newton in 2011 (14). His 15 rushing TDs rank 2nd in the NFL, behind Raheem Mostert (18), and are also T-2nd in Eagles history, trailing only LeSean McCoy in 2011 (17).
RB D'Andre Swift
Swift, who needs only 12 yards to have his first 1,000+ yardrushing campaign, ranks 5th in the NFL in rushing yards (988), behind Christian McCaffrey (1,395), Kyren Williams (1,057), James Cook (1,038) and Raheem Mostert (1,012). Swift has also tallied 6 rushing TDs this season, marking the 2nd-highest total of his career (8 in 2020).
WR A.J. Brown
Brown ranks 3rd in the league with 1,394 receiving yards, trailing only CeeDee Lamb (1,651) and Tyreek Hill (1,641). In addition, Brown’s 1,394 yards are the 3rd-most in single-season team history, behind himself in 2022 (1,496) and Mike Quick in 1983 (1,409).
Brown (101) is one of five NFL players with 100+ catches, behind CeeDee Lamb (109), Keenan Allen (108), Tyreek Hill (106) and AmonRa St. Brown (106). He is just the second player in Eagles history to reach 100+ receptions in a season, joining Zach Ertz in 2018 (116).
WR DeVonta Smith
With a 36-yard TD in Week 16 against the Giants, Smith (1,036) eclisped 1,000+ receiving yards for the second consecutive season while also tying his career high in receiving TDs (7). Since Week 11, Smith ranks 4th in the league with 503 receiving yards, behind Tyreek Hill (565), Amari Cooper (535) and Brandon Aiyuk (528).
DT Fletcher Cox
The veteran defensive tackle has logged 3.5 sacks with 1 FF in his last 4 games.
Haason Reddick
Reddick has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL since having that cast removed from a thumb he injured in the preseason.
Since Week 4, Haason Reddick is tied for the 5th-most sacks (11.0) in the NFL, trailing only Khalil Mack (15.0), Trey Hendrickson (13.0), Maxx Crosby (11.5) and Jonathan Greenard (11.5). Reddick, who is the sixth Eagle with 11.0+ sacks in consecutive years, is also tied for 3rd in QB
hits (22), behind Justin Madubuike (30) and Nick Bosa (27).
Britain Covey
Covey ranks 1st in punt return yards (409) as well as 2nd in punt return average (14.6), behind Derius Davis (16.2). He also leads the league in 15+ yard punt returns (13), 20+ yard punt returns (7) and 25+ punt returns (5) and is the only NFL player with multiple 50+ yard punt returns this season (career-long 56-yard return in Week 16).
K Jake Elliott
Elliott has made 93.3% (28-of-30) of his FG attempts, which marks the highest single-season FG percentage in Eagles history. He ranks 3rd in the NFL with 124 kicking points (career high is 134 points in 2021), trailing only Brandon Aubrey (141), and Justin Tucker (135).
Braden Mann
Since Week 7, Mann ranks 3rd in the NFL in gross punting average (51.1), behind Ryan Stonehouse (54.2) and Bryan Anger (52.5). In that span, Mann also ranks 3rd in net punting average (45.1), trailing only Anger (46.6) and Stonehouse (45.8) in that category
