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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 10:48 a.m., Thursday, January 15, 2009

NFL: Eagles at Cardinals NFC championship capsule

Associated Press

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

Sunday, Jan. 18

PHILADELPHIA (11-6-1) At ARIZONA (11-7)

10 a.m. Hawaii time, FOX

OPENING LINE — Eagles by 3.

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Philadelphia 12-6, Arizona 11—7.

SERIES RECORD — Tied 53-53-5.

LAST MEETING — Eagles 48, Cardinals 20, Nov. 27, 2008.

LAST WEEK — Eagles beat Giants 23-11; Cardinals beat Panthers 33-13.

EAGLES OFFENSE — OVERALL (9), RUSH (22), PASS (6)

EAGLES DEFENSE — OVERALL (3), RUSH (4), PASS (3)

CARDINALS OFFENSE — OVERALL (4), RUSH (32) PASS (2)

CARDINALS DEFENSE — OVERALL (19), RUSH (16), PASS (22)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Teams have split previous playoff meetings, but meet for first time in postseason since 1948 NFL championship game won 7-0 by Eagles. ... Cardinals, then based in Chicago, won 1947 NFL crown over Eagles. ... Eagles are in fifth NFC title game since 2001, with only win in 2004 before losing to Patriots in Super Bowl. ... Eagles also lost in 1981 Super Bowl to Oakland. ... Philadelphia is first sixth seed to make NFC championship game. ... Last week, Andy Reid became 14th head coach to win 10 postseason games. ... Eagles scored 416 points, most in franchise history by one (2002). ... Against Giants, QB Donovan McNabb became 11th player with 3,000 yards passing in playoff career. He passed for franchise-record 3,916 yards this season. McNabb has started 14 postseason games and has nine wins, most in club history. In seven starts vs. Arizona, McNabb has passed for 16 TDs vs. 5 INTs with 103.4 rating, including 4 TDs on Thanksgiving night win this season. Eagles have outscored opponents 20-0 in fourth quarter in playoffs, with wins at Vikings and Giants. ... This game marks first time a No. 4 seed will host NFC championship round. Cardinals won NFC West with 9-7 record, going 6-0 in division, but were 3-7 against rest of league. ... Arizona avenged regular-season loss to Carolina last week; can it do same against Philadelphia? ... Cardinals are 7-2 at home this season, 13-4 since Ken Whisenhunt became coach. ... QB Kurt Warner led Rams to 1999 NFL title, when he was league and game MVP, and to Super Bowl loss after 2001 season. He also was league MVP that season. ... Cardinals hope WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring), who missed Carolina game, is healthy and can complement All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald. ... Fitzgerald (96), Boldin (89) and Steve Breaston (77) became second WR trio in NFL history with 75-plus receptions in season (Redskins in 1989). Cardinals led NFL with 13 100-yard receiving games: Fitzgerald (7), Boldin (3) and Breaston (3). Fitzgerald had franchise playoff-record 166 yards receiving last week. He has four consecutive 100-yard receiving games, longest streak of career. ... RB Edgerrin James has six TDs in past seven playoff games. ... Cardinals set franchise playoff record for interceptions with five last week, all by different players. Rookie CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had one against Carolina and has one in three straight games.