Five Storylines in Eagles-Cardinals Matchup

Here are five storylines to watch when the short-handed Eagles put their undefeated record on the line against the Cardinals (2-2) at 4:25 (FOX) on Sunday.

ZACH ERTZ. Ertz wants 100 yards receiving, something a Cardinals TE hasn’t done in a single game since 1989. With some of the injury issues at receiver, including the suspension DeAndre Hopkins that still has two games to run, there is a realistic chance he can do it. His last 100-yard game receiving was Nov. 3, 2019, when he had 103 on nine catches in a 22-14 Eagles win over the Bears.

DALLAS GOEDERT. The Eagles tight end talked about how cool it will be to see Ertz again, but it’s well-known that there was a competitive edge between the two that sometimes wasn’t always healthy. Goedert would like to be the tight end with 100 yards receiving on Sunday.

He had back-to-back 100-yard games last season, doing it in Week 13 and 14 wins over the Jets and Commanders with 105 and 135, respectively.

Goedert is second in the NFL in yards after catch with 204, is tied for first in yards per catch among tight ends at 15.0 and has the fifth-most receiving yards at his position.

TRENDS. The Eagles average 23.5 points in the first half, the best in the NFL. The Cardinals average four, the worst in the NFL. Arizona still hasn’t scored a point in the first quarter. If it continues, the Eagles should be on their way to 5-0.

Meanwhile, the Eagles scored their first fourth-quarter points last week, getting nine of them. Can they build on that?

DEFENSE. The Eagles followed up their nine-sack game in Week 3 with five forced turnovers in Week 4. What will they do for an encore after those two weeks? One thing to note: they lead the NFL in three-and-outs forced with 21.

INJURIES. The Eagles will be without three starters due to injury - kicker Jake Elliott, left tackle Jordan Mailata, and slot corner Avonte Maddox.

Perhaps the right ankle injury to Elliott is most concerning since it means that 22-year-old Cameron Dicker will make his NFL debut. Talk about pressure. It's not like he's joining a .500 team. He's stepping into a 4-0 situation and trying to replace the reliable Elliott.

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Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.