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(1003) (257) (254) (120) (110) (82) (75) (55) (43) (21) (18) (12) (9) (8) (5) (4) (2) (2) (2)Somebody like the Arizona Cardinals (11-7), who haven't played in a title game since sometime before electricity, and now have earned the right to host one in their gleaming new state-of-the-art home?
Or somebody like the Eagles (11-6-1), risen from the ashes of mid-November to reach their fifth NFC final in eight years, and now fielding questions with that dangerous word — destiny — as part of the phraseology?
Either way, Sunday's game (3 p.m., FOX) is sure to leave one group of large young men feeling mighty bad. Maybe even worse than the network execs who paid for the right to televise this unlikely pairing.
Of course, there is a way to avoid that malaise. And for the Eagles, it begins with short memories, as in too short to remember Thanksgiving.
"The Arizona game earlier means nothing," Eagles corner Sheldon Brown said after Sunday's 23-11 elimination of the Giants. "It will be a totally different game plan on both sides. Larry Fitzgerald's playing phenomenal right now, making plays for them. They're running the football very well. It's going to be a tough football game."
Chances are that if you're reading this, you remember Thanksgiving quite well. You remember how the Eagles, four days removed from the low ebb of their 2008 season, rebounded from a deflating loss in Baltimore and buried the soon-to-be NFC West champion Cards, 48-20, at the Linc.
You remember, too, how Donovan McNabb responded from a benching he will not soon forget, throwing for 260 yards and four TDs. How the steadily improving defense hounded Kurt Warner into three interceptions, and how Brian Westbrook rushed for 110 yards and two TDs, while catching passes for two more.
To be sure, the Eagles remember all of that as well. But they would be wiser to forget it, starting today, and focus on what Arizona's been up to lately.
Like Saturday night's 33-13 dismantling of the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, for instance. Coming after their 30-24 nod over the Falcons in the Wild-Card round, it means the Cardinals are riding a three-game win streak, one in which they are plus-8 in turnovers and Warner has fired eight TD passes.
"I think they have a solid football team," Brown added, noting that he had watched Saturday night's contest. "I view the Carolina Panthers as being a physical team, and to me, (Saturday) night it looked like Arizona was the more dominant team. I know they believe in their ability, in their running game and passing game, so it's going to be a tough test."
Arizona has improved its ground attack of late, mainly by dusting off Edgerrin James. The former Colts star, left in the background with the arrival of rookie Tim Hightower, has rushed for 230 yards and a 4.6 average during the 3-0 streak. He was held to 20-for-57 by Carolina, which ranked just 20th in the league against the run, but Hightower responded with 17-for-76.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald continued the explosive play that made him the NFC's top receiver (96-1,431-12 TDs). His 8-for-166, 1-TD night in Carolina — without the presence of Anquan Boldin on the other end — gave the former Pitt Panther 19 catches, 4 TDs and a 20-yard average during the win streak.
Boldin (89-1,038-11 TDs) remains uncertain for Sunday with a hamstring problem, but Steve Breaston (77-1,006-3 TDs) gives the defense another receiving threat to worry about. It all starts, of course, with Warner (67.1 percent completions, 30 TDs, 14 picks), who trailed only San Diego's Philip Rivers and the Dolphins' Chad Pennington in passer rating for the season.
Andy Reid said Monday that his guys hadn't faced Arizona's best shot on Thanksgiving, particularly since the Cards had to travel across the country on a very short week. Certainly their latest effort supports that statement.
"Everyone talked about them not being able to win on the east coast, and then to be able to go down to Carolina when everyone expected them to lose by a lot, and to win by a lot, they just continued to gel," McNabb said.
Now the Eagles must travel to Arizona, where the Cards are 7-2 this season. Arizona also gets the much-coveted underdog status, which has helped fuel its playoff run.
The Eagles get another chance to show just how far they've come in this unlikely journey. But just like many of the steps that brought them here, it won't be a walk in the park.
"In order for us to move on and get where we want to go, we have to play at a high level," McNabb said.
E-mail: jyoung@lnpnews.com
