Eagles at Cardinals Stats & Game Notes

This year's NFC Championship marks the first time that a number 4 seed will host a game in the championship round.

It also marks the second time in NFL history that a stadium Arizona's University of Phoenix Stadium has hosted a conference championship game the year after hosting a Super Bowl (Miami's Orange Bowl, 1971 AFC Championship after Super Bowl V).

The Overall Series is tied 54-54-5. However, the Eagles have won 6 of the last 7 games. The Cardinals at home are 28-26-2 versus the Eagles; the Cardinals last win versus the Eagles was at home on 12/24/2005, 27-21. The teams last meet this past Thanskgiving night in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 40-28.

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals - Sunday, January 18, 2009 - 3:00 PM ET

FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver & Chris Myers), Westwood One Radio (Marv Albert, Jim Fassel, Mark Malone)

The Eagles advance to their fifth NFC Championship game in the last eight years and travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals, who are hosting their first-ever NFC Chrmpionship game.

The Eagles hosted the Cardinals in a Thanksgiving night game earlier this season, winning 48-20 and sparking their current stretch of 6 wins in the last 7 games. This marks the third playoff matchup between the Eagles and Cardinals, after the two teams met in the NFL Championship games in 1947 and 1948 (7-0 Eagles win), splitting the series 1-1.

Since 1999, only New England (5) has played in as many Conference Championships as the Eagles, and no other NFC team has appeared in more than 2. The last team to appear in 5 NFC Championship games in an 8-year span was the San Francisco 49ers (1990, 1992-94, 1997) from 1990-1997

The Cardinals finished with a 6-2 home record this season and Arizona has won 10 of their last 12 games at University of Phoenix Stadium after the Wild Card win over Atlanta.

The Cardinals eight-point loss to the NY Giants on 11/23/2008 was their first loss at home since they lost to the 49ers 37-31 in overtime on 11/25/2007 and snapped a seven-game home win streak that was the team's longest since 1925 when they won nine straight.

The Cardinals scored 463 points in their 16 home games over the last two regular seasons. Their 28.9 points per game average over that span ranks as the third-highest in the NFL.

NFC Championship Game Facts

• The Cardinals are the only team to not play in a NFC Title Game since the leagues merged in 1970.
• The winner of the NFC Championship game is awarded permanent possession of the George S. Halas Trophy, named in honor of the former owner, coach and player of the Chicago Bears and one of the founders of the National Football League. The trophy was authorized by NFL club presidents in 1983 and first presented following the 1984 season.
• More than 200 television stations and 450 radio stations in the United States, plus more than 290 worldwide facilities of Armed Forces Radio and Television, will broadcast the NFC Championship Game live.
• The last time an NFC West team played in a NFC Championship was in 2005 when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Carolina Panthers 34-14 to advance to Super Bowl XL.
• The home team has won three of the past six NFC Championship games.
• Since 1970, the home team has won 25 of the 38 NFC Championship Games.
• The last team to play in consecutive NFC Championships was Philadelphia (2001-04). They lost the first three before defeating Atlanta in 2004.
• The last team to host consecutive NFC Championships was Philadelphia (2002-04). The Eagles lost the first two before beating Atlanta in 2004.
• Since 1990 when the NFL expanded the playoff field to six teams from each conference, no number four seed has ever advanced to the NFC Championship or hosted.
• The last four seed to make it to the NFC Championship was the Washington Redskins in 1986. They lost to the New York Giants 17-0. (The playoffs only consisted of five teams from each conference)
• The last team to make it to the NFC Championship that was seeded fourth or lower was the New York Giants in 2007. They were a fifth seed and went on to beat the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship and then the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl XLII.
• The last fourth seed to win the NFC Championship was Dallas in 1975. At the time only four teams from each conference made it to the playoffs. Dallas defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship and then lost Super Bowl X to Pittsburgh.

 

Cardinals & Eagles in 2008 NFL Regular Season

 

Cardinals & Eagles in 2008 NFL Rank Regular Season

 

2008 Stat Leaders Eagles - Cardinals

 

Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship Game Notes

• Game marks 37th postseason contest for the Eagles.
• Under head coach ANDY REID, the Eagles have advanced to the NFC Championship 5 times in 10 seasons, more than any team in that span.
• Last week, Reid became 14th head coach to win 10 postseason games.
• Eagles scored 416 points, most in franchise history (415, 2002).
• Eagles had 2 players selected to Pro Bowl: S BRIAN DAWKINS (7th) & CB ASANTE SAMUEL (2nd)
• Last week, QB DONOVAN MC NABB became the 11th NFL QB with 3,000 playoff passing yards & scored 4th career postseason rush TD. McNabb passed for franchise-record 3,916 yards. McNabb has started 14 postseason games & has 9 wins, most in Eagles history. Holds team playoff records in completions (294), attempts (493), yards (3,147) & TDs (20). McNabb has guided the Eagles to 5 NFC Championship Games & Super Bowl XXXIX. In his starts (minimum 10+ att.) with 100.0+ rating (including playoffs), team is 40-1 (.976). In 7 starts vs. the Cardinals, McNabb has passed for 16 TDs vs. 5 INTs with 103.4 rating, including 4 TDs on Thanksgiving
• RB BRIAN WESTBROOK (546) now has most rush yards in team postseason history. Has scored TD in 4 of past 5 postseason games & has 6 career playoff TDs, tied for most in team history. Had 1,338 scrimmage yards (936 rush, 402 rec.), his 5th consecutive season with 1,200+ scrimmage yards. Is only player since 2004 with 4,000+ rush (4,915) & 3,000+ rec. (3,191) yards. Is also only player since 2004 with 20+ rush (29) & rec. (24) TDs. Had 110 rush yards & career-high 4 total TDs on Thanksgiving, becoming 4th player in NFL history with 2 rush & 2 receiving TDs & 100+ rush yards in same game
• WR-PR DE SEAN JACKSON led NFC rookies with 912 rec. yards & ranked 2nd with team-high 62 catches. Is 1st rookie WR to lead club in catches since 1942. Had team-high 4 receptions & 81 yards last week. WR JASON AVANT has 9 catches in 2008 playoffs & 6 went for 1st downs. TE BRENT CELEK is tied with Avant as team leader in receptions (9) in 2008 playoffs. Scored 1st career postseason TD last week
• S Dawkins ranks 2nd in team history with 4 postseason INTs (HERMAN EDWARDS, 5). His 7 Pro Bowl selections tie Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE for 2nd in club annals (Hall of Famer CHUCK BEDNARIK, 8). Has played in franchise-record 17 postseason games. CB ASANTE SAMUEL returned INT 25 yards to NYG 2 last week, setting up McNabb TD. Has played in 16 playoff games & his teams are 13-3 (.813), including 2 SB wins. Has 7 INTs (4 INT-TDs) in past 10 postseason games. Has 227 INT return yards, most in NFL playoff history. DE TRENT COLE has 21.5 sacks in past 34. S QUINTIN MIKELL had 1st career postseason INT last week
• K DAVID AKERS is franchise leader with 121 points & 28 FGs in postseason. After converting all 3 FG attempts last week, Akers has made 18 consecutive postseason FGs, most in playoff history (GARY ANDERSON, 16). His 28 career postseason FGs rank 3rd in NFL history.

Arizona NFC Championship Game Notes

• The Cardinals play in their 1st NFC Championship Game ever. The Cardinals 33 points last week were most in franchise history for playoff game. Won 1st division title since 1975 when team was in St. Louis & clinched NFC East. In 2008, has 11 wins including playoffs most since 1975
• The Cradinals scored 427 points this season, most in franchise history (423, 1984).
• KEN WHISENHUNT became 1st Cardinals head coach to win 1st 2 playoff games.
• Including last week, team has scored 30+ points in 14 of past 26 games under Whisenhunt.
• Team had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl: WRs ANQUAN BOLDIN (3rd) & LARRY FITZGERALD (3rd), ST SEAN MOREY (1st), QB KURT WARNER (4th) & S ADRIAN WILSON (2nd)
• QB Warner has passed for 365+ yards in 4 postseason games, most in NFL history. Holds record for most passing yards in single postseason when he passed for 1,063 yards in 1999 with Rams. In starts with 15+ att. & 100.0+ rating (including playoffs), his teams are 36-3 (.923). Has 7-2 (.778) postseason record. Warner has 3 postseason TD passes of 70+ yards, tied for most in NFL history (HOFers TERRY BRADSHAW & JOHN ELWAY & BRETT FAVRE). Passed for 3 TDs in Week 13
• RB TIM HIGHTOWER tied for lead among NFL rookies with 10 rush TDs & set club rookie record. Has scored TD in each of 1st 2 career playoff games, including 3-yard TD reception vs. Panthers. Had team-high 76 yards last week. Fitzgerald (12), Boldin (11) & Hightower (10) became 7th trio since 1970 to each score 10+ TDs in season. RB EDGERRIN JAMES scored 4-yard TD last week & has 6 rush TDs in past 7 playoff games
• Fitzgerald (96), Boldin (89) & STEVE BREASTON (77) became 2nd WR trio in NFL history to record 75+ receptions in season (1989 Washington). Cardinals led NFL with 13 100-yard receiving games Fitzgerald (7), Boldin (3) & Breaston (3). Fitzgerald had franchise playoff record 166 yards last week, surpassing ROY GREEN's 113 yards vs. Packers on 1/8/1983. Dating back to regular season, Fitzgerald has 4 consecutive 100-yard receiving games, longest streak of career. In Week 13, Fitzgerald scored 2 TDs & Breaston had 1. Club became 5th team in NFL history with 3 1,000-yard receivers in season Fitzgerald (1,431), Boldin (1,038) & Breaston (1,006)
• Team set franchise playoff record for INTs with 5 last week, all by different players. Rookie CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE had INT vs. Car. & has pickoff in 3 consecutive games dating back to Week 17. Has 6 INTs in past 9 games, including 99-yard INT-TD, tied for longest INT-TD in franchise history. CB RODERICK HOOD & S ANTREL ROLLE each had 1st career playoff INT last week. In career, Rolle has scored 5 TDs on 10 takeaways (9 INTs, 1 FR). DE ANTONIO SMITH had sack & FF last week. LB KARLOS DANSBY led team with career-high 126 tackles, his 3rd consecutive 100-tackle season. Had 11-yard INT-TD in 12/24/05 game vs. Eagles. S Wilson is 1 of 3 active safeties with 18+ INTs (18) & 18+ sacks (18.5). Has 3 career sacks vs. Phi. (tied for 2nd-most vs. any opponent). CB RALPH BROWN has INT in 3 of past 4 playoff games
• K NEIL RACKERS' 49-yard FG last week was longest in club playoff history
• ST Morey has played in 13 playoff games, most on team.

Kurt Warner has a chance to become just the second quarterback in NFL history to lead two separate teams to the Super Bowl. The only QB in NFL history to accomplish the feat was Craig Morton, who led the Cowboys to Super Bowl V following the 1970 season and the Broncos to Super Bowl XII following the 1977 season.

Warner led the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl following both the 1999 and 2001 seasons. The Rams defeated the Tennessee Titans 23 to 16 in Super Bowl XXIV following the 1999 season and lost to the New England Patriots 20-17 in Super Bowl XXVI following the 2001 season.

Warner's 1,063 yards passing during the 1999 playoffs are the most by a player in a single postseason in NFL history. He is one of only three quarterbacks to throw for at least 1,000 yards in a single postseason.

In all, Warner has started in nine career playoff games and has a 7-2 record as a starter.

 

 

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