Sunday's game against Arizona provides the Eagles an opportunity to wash away the tough loss from Monday night. That's all there really is to say about the situation here. We know where the Eagles are and we know where they want to be. It's a team that has underachieved its way to a 3-5 record.

I've said all along that you learn about leadership in the locker room when adversity strikes. There has been plenty of adversity. At times, it appeared the Eagles were going to come out of their slump and turn the year around.

Now, at 3-5, there is so little margin for error. We'll learn about the constitution of this locker room, one that outsider say lacks chemistry and leadership.

For now, the focus is on Arizona, not the questions that wait at the end of the year. The Cardinals have not played well this year. They come in with a 2-6 record, likely without starting quarterback Kevin Kolb and perhaps a handful of other key players. This is a game the Eagles must win.

But if the Eagles think it is going to be easy, if they think they can just show up and win, then they are sorely mistaken. If the Eagles sleep walk through this game and happen to, geez ... I can't even go there. I'm not even going to think about it. Let's keep it positive and hopeful here ...

• Why don't the Eagles blitz more? It's a great question, and at the end of the day it is an approach far different than the one employed by Jim Johnson and Sean McDermott. When we wondered what kind of defense Juan Castillo would use after he was named defensive coordinator, the supposition was that the system would be largely the same and the terminology similar to lessen the learning curve. That is clearly not the case. We saw the Bears handle this front four pretty easily by using seven blockers against four pass rushers. Trent Cole and Jason Babin were chipped all night. Cole had to deal with an offensive tackle and a sliding guard. Babin dealt with an offensive tackle and a running back. The Eagles go no inside pressure, with Cullen Jenkins facing a double team. And the defense barely laid a glove on quarterback Jay Cutler.
• LeSean McCoy's season, which is slipping under the radar a bit given the Eagles' won/loss record, is remarkable. He leads the NFL with 825 rushing yards, the most in franchise history after eight games. He is also third in the NFL with 1,009 yards from scrimmage and he's scored at least one touchdown in every game, 11 total. If he doesn't make the Pro Bowl, it's a crime. McCoy has become one of the very best backs in the league.
• The Eagles are 45-29 at Lincoln Financial Field since 2003, but they are an absurd 1-6 (including playoffs) in their last seven games at home. Why? It makes no sense, really. I have no explanation.
• King Dunlap at guard? Why not move Todd Herremans from right tackle to left guard and use Dunlap at right tackle? I could never accuse Howard Mudd of being ordinary, which makes his genius all the more interesting to watch. One way to explain it is this: The Cardinals run a 3-4 scheme, so their outside pass rushers line up wide and try to beat tackles to the edge. Herremans is extremely quick and athletic protecting Michael Vick's blind side. Dunlap will work a lot against Calais Campbell, an end with his hand down in the Arizona 3-4.
• Is there reason to be concerned with DeSean Jackson? His numbers aren't eye popping, especially as a punt returner where he is averaging just 3.7 yards per return. Teams are doing all they can to take away his over-the-top speed in the passing game, too. Jackson has to refine his routes, understand what defenses are trying to do to him and take his game to the next level. All the great ones do that. Jackson has a large challenge in front of him.
• Where is Steve Smith?
• Someone who has come on a lot who nobody talks about it Trevor Laws, the team's second-round draft pick in 2007. He looks quick and mobile inside and has given the Eagles a good push inside in the rotation. Laws is a much better player than he was a couple of years ago.
• Remarkably, the Eagles have converted 46.6 percent of their third downs and have scored only 24 points per game. Turnovers are a killer, aren't they?
• Colt Anderson is running away with the special teams production points lead. He has 94, followed by Alex Henery with 69 and Riley Cooper with 68. Henery's short kickoffs on Monday night, by the way, could have been a strategy to keep the ball away from dangerous return man Devin Hester. Let's see how the Eagles handle punting to Patrick Peterson this week.
• How do the Eagles handle wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald on Sunday? He is a big, physical player who obviously is a game-breaking talent. Do the Eagles match up Nnamdi Asomugha against Fitzgerald?
• Let's hope the tackling is much improved on Sunday. It was not good at all against Chicago. Too many defenders just didn't look like they wanted to get physical with the Bears.
• The offense's 330 total yards against Chicago were the fewest of the season, even though the Eagles converted 8 of 14 third downs.