Eagles WR DeSean Jackson said he would be the difference-maker. With a 62-yard touchdown catch to give the Eagles a 25-24 lead, he very well might be.

Willie McGinest was just saying, “Watch the slant, watch the slant,” as the Cardinals were driving with 3:30 to go in the first half. What happened? Kurt Warner threw the slant, Eagles CB Asante Samuel wasn’t in the right place in coverage and got a “P.I.” (that’s what Willie calls pass interference). On the next play, Warner found WR Larry Fitzgerald on the other side of the end zone for a touchdown.

Baltimore will be without CB Samari Rolle for the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Rolle, who had an interception in last week’s divisional-round win over the Titans, didn’t practice all week because of a thigh injury.

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb talked earlier in the week about living in Phoenix during the offseason. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is a neighbor, as are DE Bertrand Berry and S Adrian Wilson. Well, Wilson sure isn’t acting too neighborly today, with two sacks and a forced fumble.

The Eagles defense and coordinator Jim Johnson are completely ineffective so far against the Cardinals. Arizona is throwing all of its plays out there. They are keeping the Eagles off-balance by running the ball, spreading them out, running crossing routes, screens to the tight ends and receivers, trick plays and the halfback toss that went back to the quarterback and then was thrown for a touchdown.

Add one more intriguing name to the potential list of head-coaching candidates in Kansas City. Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley, a former assistant coach for Scott Pioli‘s father-in-law, Bill Parcells, in Dallas, could be thrown into the mix of Chiefs head-coaching candidates, should Herm Edwards not be retained.

NFL GameDay Morning is the longest, most comprehensive NFL pregame show on television. Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk and Steve Mariucci, alongside co-hosts Spero Dedes and Alex Flanagan and reporter Adam Schefter, brought fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews on NFL Network. Special player correspondents Willie McGinest and Antwaan Randle El provided additional analysis from Sunday game sites.

Cardinals DE Travis LaBoy has left Sunday’s game with an undisclosed injury.

In the NFC Championship Game’s first wrinkle, the Cardinals lined up S Antrel Rolle as an offset running back and sent him in motion — left to right — on their opening drive. The play was a counter handoff to Edgerrin James, who broke off a 16-yard run. The Eagles definitely were surprised.

The Cardinals have a stationary bike on the sideline so wide receiver Anquan Boldin can keep his sore hamstring warm on the sidelines. Here are a few other notes just before kickoff in Glendale, Ariz.

Willie McGinest is pictured here with Eagles FB Dan Klecko, who dubs himself the “Lucky Marshmallow.”

As the teams take the field for pregame warmups, here are a few observations from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin is active for Arizona’s NFC Championship Game against Philadelphia. For the Eagles, WR Reggie Brown was on the inactive list and WR Greg Lewis will start in his place.

Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin is active for today’s NFC Championship Game.

Nobody ever could have, or would have, predicted that one play could cost multiple teams playoff spots and Super-Bowl winning coaches their jobs and change the course of NFL history.