Cardinals coach Bruce Arians still has soft spot for Philly

No one had to bring up Temple to Bruce Arians Wednesday afternoon, when the Cardinals coach spoke with Eagles beat writers as Arizona’s date with Philly in Week 15 approaches.

“How about them Temple Owls, baby,” the coach said right off the bat.

Arians was the Owls head coach back in the 1980sand boasts that Arizona is “Temple West.” Todd Bowles, the first-year Jets head coach was the Cardinals defensive coordinator and the Owls have always had a good following in the southwest.

Before Sunday’s game was flexed to the prime time slot (in NBC), Arians was planning to practice at Temple.

But Arians’ Philly ties run deeper than that.

“I had an interview set up with Chicago, because they turned the paperwork in first,” Arians said, referring to the 2013 offseason that saw the coach vying for his first full-time NFL gig. “While I was in Chicago, [the Eagles], Cleveland and San Diego canceled the interviews that we had set up.”

Arians went on to say he was disappointed to lost the opportunity to interview in Philly, but of course, Chip Kelly took the job and the rest is history.

Whether the Eagles made a mistake is yet to be determined, but Arians has done a yeoman’s job in Arizona, creating a stout defense and providing Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald impressive second acts.

Both coaches are still seeking their first playoff wins.