keep it within 10, then had it scratched off, within 20. >> al: boy, oh, boy. second of nine. to the 22. then there are the eagles who have drop to two games und under .500. i told this to jeffrey lurie the other day and he was shocked, too. they're the only team in the league that has won more games on the road than at home. pretty good records. they've done well. gotten into the playoffs a lot. but more road wins than home wins. so bizarre because it's a great crowd. you know, they love the eagles. >> cris: play the "rocky" theme. >> al: a vibrant building. but for whatever reason, more wins away than here. >> cris: well, maybe time for jeffrey lurie to give them another speech. he gave them that before the new england game, the play angry speech. went to everybody in the locker

room and sort of grabbed them and used a little colorful language and got them all fired up and got a standing ovation after the game when they beat the patriots. but somebody's going to give old bruce arians and steve keim and carson palmer a standing ovation. 12 wins in this league? very impressive. >> al: bruce will be a candidate for coach of the year which he's only won twice in three years. but at this point ron rivera. you're 14-0 with that team. the expectations going into the season. you know the story. calvin benjamin got hurt. they may have a perfect year, who knows? but he'd be the choice right now. for chip kelly, well, again, the great thing about the eagles, if you're an eagles fan is you just win the next two games and you're in the playoffs and you're playing a home game the second week of january. there's the final score of 40-17. and coming up next, the

volkswagen post game report after these messages from your nbc station.

welcome to the volkswagen passat postgame report. here now bob costas. >> the arizona cardinals have won eight straight. they go to 12-2. they clinch the nfc west for the first time since 2009.

the eagles, as we just heard al say, are still alive despite the record of 6-8 in the very forgiving nfc east. carson palmer is an mvp candidate. he went 20 of 32 for 274 and a touchdown. david johnson with andre ellington and chris johnson out, the rookie from northern iowa steps up and carries 29 times for 187 yards, 187 yards. also had four catches, scored three touchdowns. carson and johnson who get the game balls and get a chance to talk with michele. >> on this date in 2009 when the cardinals won their last nfc west division tiblgttle. you do it again tonight. i know you have loftier goals but how gratifying is this? >> very gratifying. to come in here against a team that needs this win also.

this is a grown man behind you who couldn't be prouder o of the way he broke tackles and always fell forward. >> you set a single season record for points. you had this guy, as you mentioned, david junsohnson, ru for three touchdowns. what is it like to quarterback an offense when you have so many options? >> it's a blast, it's a blast to be part of this group. we come to work every day and grind it out did you aring the week. we're coached hard and play hard on sundays. it's been a blast. >> you injured the index finger on your throwing hand. we saw you get it taped up. >> i'm worrying about tyrann right now. that it's just a bump on the knee. but you hate to see that, the season he's having. and been praying for him nonstop. will continue to do so, hope he's all right. >> we're talking about tyrann mathieu who injured himself just before the game. congratulations. >> thank you. >> we'll update you on tyrann mathieu when we can.

but david johnson, three touchdowns. talk about the second one. a 47-yarder. take us through that run. what were you seeing? >> just an outside zone. i had good blocking where i was able to cut back. brokeles and stiff arms and got in. >> you're a rookie who has been able to step in. how have you handled all the responsibility that entails? >> always talking to carson and talking to stump and andre trying to get better every day and getting ready to help out our team. >> as a rookie, you come in and get a 12-win season and win the division. what is this like? >> feels great. amazing. hopefully continue the success and get ready for green bay and come back and get ready. >> big night. congratulations. >> thank you. >> michele, thanks, with regard to tyrann mathieu he's already been in and out of x-ray, but we don't have word yet on what that

revealed. if we get any information before we leave the air, we'll pass it on to you. let's take a look at the nfc playoff picture with this result. if washington wins here saturday night in philadelphia, then washington wins the division, but if philly win, the eagles, giants and washington could all enter week 17 with a chance at the title. seattle and green bay clinched playoff berth and minnesota is all but assured of getting in. tony, a lot of focus on the unbeaten panthers as well as the streaking seahawks, but the nfc west champion cardinals have now won eight straight themselves. who do you see as the most dangerous team in the nfc? >> looking at the cardinals tonight, bob, they look fantastic. i'm going to put my vote in for them. very solid on both sides of the ball. we know about that big play passing offense, that blitzing defense, but to me, david johnson, such a differencemaker. bruce arians and tom moore, one of their offensive coaches, they were in indianapolis.

this guy reminds me of edgerrin james, playing physical, long runs, catching the ball. he could be that wildcard that really gives them the edge. i like what i saw from the cardinacar cardinals tonight. >> they still have a small chance to overtake the panthers for the number one seed but they can be overtaken by green bay for number two as well. the patriots clinched a bye today while the texans won in indy. the chiefs, steelers and jets all won this week, with kansas city and now pittsburgh having the tie breaker edge in the wildcard race. but after that denver loss and with the broncos playing cincinnati next monday, do you think the chiefs who kind of off the radar have won eight straight, do you think they can win the division? >> i do, bob, and here's why. they've got two home games left with cleveland and then finishing with oakland. i believe they'll win those two home games. if they tie with denver, they'll

win the division and denver has that game you mentioned against cincinnati. denver is not playing great on offense. they had some great plays today but not moving the ball well. cincinnati can score points. i can see cincinnati going in there and winning and kansas city winning their two games and being the western division champions. >> we turn to mike florio of pro football talk. it got ugly between odell beckham jr. and josh norman today at the meadowlands, particularly with some of beckham's actions off the ball. what sort of response are you expecting from the league this week? >> i'm told the league office believes that odell beckham jr. should have been ejected from the game today. he wasn't. now will it go beyond merely imposing fines. would they suspend him particularly for a violent helmet to helmet hit on josh norman under circumstances that there was no reason for that hit to be applied.

it will happen on monday. he'll have independent appeal rights. it would all happen quickly, so beckham would know, the giants would know in next sunday night's game if he'd be available to practice and play. we'll keep an eye on adrian peterson's ankle this week. he sprayed it against the bears. he missed some time, came back, he didn't have x-rays, he didn't know whether he'd have an mri, but he sprained it. >> why a gifted player like odell beckham jr. would diminish himself and his team with play like that. >> when we come back, we'll look in on bruce arians' post game talk to his team. the "sunday night football postgame report" is brought to you by the newly redesigned volkswagen passat. the midsized car for your full-sized life.

it's practically yours, but we still need your signature. the volkswagen sign then drive event. zero due at signing, zero down, zero deposit, and zero first months payment on a new jetta and other select models. thand our loved ones to fall are gathered all around, so share that extra joy in your heart and make this christmas even more special than the last. walmart. alaska. finally. the search for brown bears begins. denali highway. low on gas. pit stop. fill up. double points. yep, that's cold. tired. day 2. coffee. eggs. double points. beautiful. majestic... nothing.

where are you, bear? warm. warmer. warmer. yes. wherever the journey takes you, carry american express gold. it's more than a card. it's the gear that gets it done. count on being slammed this hwith orders. we're getting slammed with orders. and my customers knowing right when their packages arrive. totally slammed! introducing real-time delivery notifications. one more reason this is our season. ♪ it's the final countdown! ♪ ♪ the final countdown! if you're the band europe, you love a final countdown. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. it's what you do.

welcome back to the volkswagen passat postgame report. >> congratulations, men. this is just the first step. this is just a starter cap. this ain't the one we want. we want much bigger, better things than this. but this was one hell of a nice job tonight of getting this one. as a football team. all right? but we got a long way to go. i see you wednesday. enjoy it. enjoy it. >> enjoy it. it feels good. we got two more to get now. let's go. team on three, one, twoe two, t team. >> no further update on ty mathieu. the cardinals keep on going. they really got something going right now.

>> they look like they can do anything. they can run the ball. they obviously can throw it. their defense is good. tyrann mathieu, that's a big deal. that guy does just about everything on the defensive side. >> so giants and vikings next week. you heard mike talking about the league thought he should have been ejected. our friends troy and joe were on top of that. i don't believe they haven't thrown him out of the game. we'll see what happens. if he gets suspended or not, we don't know. but the giants who still have a chance to win the east. how does that happen? if the giants win their next two in minnesota and they beat philadelphia and washington were to lose two here and then washington goes to dallas, the giant was be in. philly controls its own fate. they win two and they're in, you get washington on top of the division. it is just crazy in the nfc east. >> i'm glad you did all that. >> i think i know what i'm talking about, but not that often. but anyway, an interesting matchup. we'll see about adrian peterson. minnesota, of course, still vying for a playoff spot even though green bay leads in that

division. still a chance to win the nfc north. but mike zimmer has done some job. >> minnesota took this arizona team that impressed us so much tonight right to the wire. it was a last-minute sack by dwight freeney that held them in that game. you know how good a team minnesota is. >> seeing the great white north next week. >> cannot wait. happy birthday, michele. >> and merry christmas, everybody. we'll talk to you next sunday from minneapolis. so the final score tonight was 40-17, al michaels, cris collinsworth and michele tafoya, for the gang up here, natalie hayes, melissa horton, kenny and all the guys and gals who bring you "sunday night football" s saying good night from philadelphia. nbc sports thanks you for watching this special presentation of the national football league.

nbc 10 presents, "eagles gameday final." >> hey, everybody. welcome to eagles "gameday final. rime jon clark, along with mike quick. let's jump to chip kelly. a lot of questions to be answered after this one. >> chip, you didn't find much work for demarco murray tonight. especially when you had fourth and 1 at the goal line. >> is say the second part?

>> you had second and one at the goal line. >> we had ryan in there. a 230-pound back. the ball went outside to the d.b.s. it's kind of the game, we don't get it there. you look back at that in hindsight. in terms of making the call, i thought we were going to get fourth and one. we can pound it up in there. we have two tight ends in the game. and pound it up in there and see if we can get the first time. >> how much of an asterisk do you give the defense because they're playing a couple men down? a couple different combinations. >> everybody is hurt at this point during the season. we have to make due. the biggest disappointment, we didn't tackle well. that's really where i look at it. defensively, we didn't tackle. and offensively, we turn the ball over. those are the two things. every game counts. and there are no asterisks we can say, we had guys hurt. everybody has guys hurt this time of year.

>> the three turnovers, it was a one-score game, and they turned it over three times. they scored every turnover, too. >> yeah. and we were moving the ball, too. the first one was a play-action as. and it just looks like we got pete around the left side. and sam was stepping up in the pocket but didn't have time. on ryan's, we had a run, we kind of creased him. and we're moving it again and in positive yardage. i thought we moved the ball. against this team, they have had one turnover in the last three games themselves. they had one penalty today. they had no turnovers. against a team like that, a good offensive team, you can't turn the ball over like we did and expect to come out on top. >> it happened on the cardinals' first touchdown when johnson ran in. looked like philly had stuff that got in there late. >> i would have to look at the film. >> on the fourth and one, when bruce called the time-out, do you change the look between there before and the play you were at? >> yeah.

we went in motion. we brought a guy across. and we motioned for a trips formation. the original look we were in was doubles when we came out of the time-out. six? we have to catch the ball better for him. he threw the ball better tonight. he got hit. but he stayed in there and delivered the ball. i think he got flushed from my standpoint on the interception, and just threw it behind ryan. after that it was run to the flat and picked up the ball behind him. >> is there a the concern going -- >> that is chip kelly. and look at this. basically, mike quick, it comes down to next week. the eagles have to beat the redskins. or the chance of the division title is over. if they beat the redskins, they have to beat the giants. and they're a game behind the

redskins. and i have to ask you. i know the cardinals are a very good team. >> they are. >> the eagles were blown out. >> yeah. >> three of the last five games, they have been blown out by the bucs, the lyons and the cardinals. they got by a touchdown and a field goal. what do you think is going to show up next saturday night? which philadelphia eagles team? >> that's such a good question. and you never really know. and think about this. the redskins are playing a lot better. kirk cousins is engineering that offense. they're playing a heck of a lot better. tonight's game, is a game you knew going in was going to be a tough game for them to win. this is one of the best offenses in all of football. if you look at the cardinals' team, they don't have weaknesses anywhere. for the eagles have the best two corners go down and not playing the game, you know it's a big uphill battle to stop this team. and after they didn't convert right before the half, the fourth down when they turn it over on downs to the cardinals, everything started to go

downhill for the eagles at that point. >> that's a good point. and you look at the sequence before that. on the ground. the eagles were outphysicaled. you take a look. david johnson, almost every eagles placer on the play had a chance. did that define the game? that and not getting it on fourth and one? >> i think the fact that the cardinals beat them at the line of scrimmage. the big guys for the cardinals, they did a better job of getting leverage at the line of scrimmage and controlling the line of scrimmage. and that's why john john had such a big day rushing the football. why carson palmer can throw at will. >> you look at the numbers. 230 rushing yards and 500 yards of total offense. the second-worst performance yardage-wise. let's jump to the fourth and one situation. they said demarco murray is a perfect 15 for 15 on third and fourth down. ryan matthews, only four of nine. so, he did not get it done

there. talk about the blocking on the right side of the line. >> it's a matter on the right side of scrimmage. they bring reilly cooper in the game to take care of the safety that comes up on the edge. and he didn't get a good block. they have to get movement. you have to get push, especially on the tight downs where it will be third and long. any down, where it's one, two yards to go, you have to get moving, get push at the line of scrimmage. they weren't anble to get pushl at the line of scrimmage. >> the redskins are 1-5 on the road. 6-2 on the road you're looking at a redskins team that believes in themselves. they've won four of six. and they are starting to believe in themselves. chris baker said, i plan on celebrating in philly. they beat the eagles in the first game and they're coming up here to win. >> it's hard to win twice in

your division. it's going to be a tough game for both sides. desean jackson is coming back to town. he's going to want to shore out coming out to the link. and i believe, that defense down there is starting to play a lot better. and they have a good tight end. and if you get desean jackson going dune the field. if they're able to make plays down the field, it will open up that offense. so, there's no easy ones. and saturday night here at the link, it will be tough again for this team. >> and deshaun did not play in that first game. kirk cousins is looking good. and aaron rowe and byron maxwell. the eagles are down right now. we're going to have more coming up on "eagles gameday final." we're going to hear from the eagles. the birds lose, 40-17. we're right back after this.

welcome back, everybody. he's mike quick. i'm john clark. let's take you to sam bradford, live at the podium. >> i think they're top five in the league in total defense. we made some plays. it's not like they shut us down all night. you know, we just had too many self-inflicted wounds to really do anything. you know, to not get points before halftime, is frustrating.

you know. and then, in the second half, the fumble i had, i think that's going to be a really big play, if not a touchdown. and that's a turnover. and we turn it over in the next possession. when you're playing a really good offense, and a really good team, like they are, you can't afford to do those things. yeah, with any injury, i think, you take it on and it's not fully recovered, it's vulnerable. >> in the first half, what were you able to do? it seemed like you were in a good rhythm in the first half. what was working for you guys? >> i think we had a good mix of some things going. we had some nice runs app pen we had nice run/pass options they were giving us. just some quick games.

i thought we had a pretty good balance. and you know, made some plays in that first half. >> were you surprised that d'marco didn't get the ball? >> welcome, everybody. we're standing with bill davis. and giving up 230 yards on the ground. what do you think the main issues were? was tackling a main issue? >> absolutely. that was an awful outing of tackling. we have to get that fixed. i don't know where that came from. with a week ago from buffalo, tackling was spot-on. we talked about it. we knew the challenge of this offense. they put up 400 yards a week and 31 points. and we knew tackling was going to have to be there. it didn't show up tonight. i have to get that fixed. >> the challenge you have with the receivers in the league, how do you feel with the two cornerbacks not available this week. you lose those two.

and when the backups start going in, and you get a little thin in the run game numbers when you do that. it's one of the nights with some injuries, just chasing everything. chasing the pass game, who is on fitz, who wasn't. where the run was hitting. and the tackling just fell apart on us. it's not who we are. not who we've been and we have to get it fixed. >> we saw this defense and you turned things around to the bucs and lions. and you're looking at the game when the season is on the line. the redskins went down the field on you. this is a motivated defense, don't you think? >> absolutely. the playoffs are right now. we have to take the next two games. it starts in washington. we can't look past that. it's everything we have. and it's a prideful group. we will show up and we will take the tackle saturday night. >> thanks, coach. >> we appreciate you joining us, thanks a lot. more to come on "eagles gameday final." we're going to talk more about

the loss. the highlights, as well. the birds lose 40-17. 6-8, one game back. we'll the right back.

welcome back, everybody, to "eagles