TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Everything's Jake in Arizona these days. Jake Plummer is back, the Arizona Cardinals have won three in a row to resurrect a miserable season and they're even thinking playoffs. Yet all the new optimism could vanish in a hurry Sunday with a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, who come to the desert with a 3-9 record and a rookie quarterback with some very Plummer-like qualities.

"They're better than their record. Their record is a lie," Arizona defensive end Simeon Rice said. "The only way it can really be dangerous for us is if we don't prepare the way we should. If we prepare the way we should, we should go out and annihilate them, dominate them. If we don't, it's going to be a struggle."

Rice's old high school teammate Donovan McNabb will get his fourth start at quarterback for the Eagles.

"You can see a spark when he comes into their huddle, just like you can see when Jake's in our huddle," defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis said. "He's a confident guy from the start. The conventional wisdom is to blitz a young quarterback, but what Andy Reid is doing so well with McNabb is he's keeping him away with blitzes because he's throwing so many screens.

"He's running with him. He's moving with him. He was worth the second pick in the draft, I'll tell you that. He reminds me a whole lot of Randall Cunningham when Randall was young, except he's probably got a more accurate arm."

The Eagles are 2-4 against NFC East opponents, but two of the losses were in overtime and two were by one point, including a 25-24 loss to Arizona in the season opener.

"It's a team that's a little bit like we were three weeks ago, a lot of close ballgames and they didn't get very many victories," Arizona coach Vince Tobin said. "But they beat Washington, they beat Dallas, really should have beaten the Giants twice, should have beaten Washington twice and very easily could have beaten us. You add even half of those wins and they're right in the thick of it."

Philadelphia coach Andy Reid said he's seen consistent improvement despite the absence of victories.

"We understand we're playing a lot of young players, but they are fighting and they are willing to continue to play hard and they are learning the schemes and working the schemes," Reid said. "It's just that we're a little bit young. Each week we get a little bit better."

McNabb said he and his teammates have come a long way since the beginning of the season in their ability to succeed in the NFL.

"We are better than our record states," McNabb said. "We're all forming a chemistry on the offensive side. We're getting to know one another's tempo. We're going to continue to grow and get better."

The Cardinals field a starting lineup that's even slightly younger than Philadelphia's, yet Arizona has been able to win enough to keep hope alive in the weak NFC East.

If Arizona can beat Philadelphia, the Cardinals would be 6-6, 5-2 against division opponents, going into a big game at Washington. But a franchise that's been down as long as Arizona should know better than to look past anyone.

"If we're going to go out there reading all this stuff about us being 3-0 in the second half for the first time since who-knows-when and thinking we're some good team, they could sneak up on us," Plummer said.

Arizona was 2-2 when Plummer was out with a broken right ring finger. He returned to action in the second half last week and rallied the Cardinals to a 34-24 road victory over the New York Giants. After throwing 14 interceptions in his first six games, Plummer played under control in his return game, completing 12 of 18 for 125 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

And he provides an emotional spark for a team already gaining confidence.

"Jake gives us a lot of the same things that Donovan gives them," Tobin said, "a little bit of youthful exuberance and the ability to bounce around and make plays after the play breaks down. We're glad to have him back."

PHILADELPHIA Season schedule and results

ARIZONA Season schedule and results

September 12 Arizona L 24-25 September 19 Tampa Bay L 5-19 September 26 @Buffalo L 0-26 October 3 @NY Giants L 15-16 October 10 Dallas W 13-10 October 17 @Chicago W 20-16 October 24 @Miami L 13-16 October 31 NY Giants L 17-23 November 7 @Carolina L 7-33 November 14 Washington W 35-28 November 21 Indianapolis L 17-44 November 28 @Washington L 17-20 December 5 @Arizona 4:05pm ET December 12 @Dallas 1:00pm ET December 19 New England 1:00pm ET January 2 St. Louis 1:00pm ET

September 12 @Philadelphia W 25-24 September 19 @Miami L 16-19 September 27 San Francisco L 10-24 October 3 @Dallas L 7-35 October 10 NY Giants W 14-3 October 17 Washington L 10-24 October 31 New England L 3-27 November 7 @NY Jets L 7-12 November 14 Detroit W 23-19 November 21 Dallas W 13-9 November 28 @NY Giants W 34-24 December 5 Philadelphia 4:05pm ET December 12 @Washington 1:00pm ET December 19 Buffalo 8:20pm ET December 26 @Atlanta 1:00pm ET January 2 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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