Why Eagles should fear Week 13 trip to Arizona

We've long known who the opponents are. We now have the dates and times of every matchup. The Philadelphia Eagles' 2026-27 schedule is set, along with the schedules of every other team. There are plenty of reasons to take up residency in front of a television for all 17 games.

There are heavyweight matchups and, no doubt, some obvious under-the-radar classics brewing. Then, there are those possible nail-biters, those games where even the best teams can get caught slipping. Trap games are always looming, and if Philadelphia’s 2026 schedule has one matchup that immediately fits the description, Week 13 feels like the obvious candidate.

The Eagles' Week 13 game vs. the Arizona Cardinals feels suspicious

On December 6, the Eagles head west for a late-afternoon showdown against the Arizona Cardinals. On paper? Philadelphia should probably be favored. That alone is exactly what makes this dangerous.

Trap games are not about inferior opponents being secretly unbeatable. They are about timing, environment, emotional letdowns, travel, and strange historical patterns that make absolutely no logical sense until they happen again. And yes, the Eagles have some bizarre history with Arizona. Philadelphia’s relationship with football in the desert has rarely been pleasant.

The Eagles lost Super Bowl LVII in Arizona, which remains an obvious emotional scar. Before finally winning there during the 2022 regular season, Philadelphia had dropped five straight road games to the Cardinals. Their previous win in Arizona came all the way back in 2001 during the Andy Reid era. That isn't exactly comforting.

The Cardinals have been a weird problem. Even beyond the desert struggles, Arizona has consistently made life uncomfortable for Philadelphia. Believe it or not, the Cardinals actually lead the all-time head-to-head series by a 61-57-5 margin. Yes, really.