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This is going to be a very interesting game and a fun one to watch. And, of course, this is one I won't be able to watch since I'll be at a conference in New Orleans.
Both 3-2, both have extremely talented rosters but each has been a little schizophrenic, roller coastering between awesome and awful. This one will pit strength against strength.
When the Vikings have the ball:
Vikings have the 3rd ranked rushing offense; Eagles have the 1st ranked rushing defense. Wash.
Vikings have the 29th ranked passing offense; Eagles have the 27th ranked passing defense. Wash.
When the Eagles have the ball:
Eagles have the 18th ranked rushing offense; Vikings have the 9th ranked rushing defense. Wash.
Eagles have the 21st ranked passing offense; Vikings have the 6th ranked passing defense. Advantage Vikings.
Eagles beat up a Jets team helmed by 3rd string QB Luke Falk and piled up 10 sacks and I think a couple of pick sixes too. As bad as Cousins has been against good teams, he's no Luke Falk. If Cousins gets protection, he should do well against this secondary. But that's a huge IF: can our line protect Cousins long enough for Diggs and Thielen to take advantage of what might be (due mostly to injury) the worst starting secondary in the NFL? Good question. No doubt, this is a very good front four. But up until Luke Falk showed up, this front four had 2 sacks through four games.
So, again, who are these Eagles? The team who lost to the Falcons and Lions and barely beat a terrible Redskins team? Or the team who beat the Packers in Lambeau? Eagles simply out-coached the Packers in that one. They won that game by running the ball (which, as everyone should know by now, is how you beat the Packers) and stopping the run. They stifled Aaron Jones and forced Matt LaFleur into playing Defelippo ball. Packers abandoned the run and threw the ball 53 times. As tempting as it will be to throw against this secondary, the Vikings CAN'T make that mistake. Balance will be the key to this game.
I see this game as a potentially huge match
up problem for the Viking's offense; very similar to the Bears
game. The Eagles will be stout against the run, and do everything to make
the Vikings one dimensional. If the offense can't find the running game,
and is forced to win by a KC led passing game, I think the Vikes are in
trouble.
The Eagles are finding their rhythm,
and Wentz will have plenty of fans in the stands (ND boy growing up as a Viking fan). He's going to be aggressive
and most likely put up points on our D.
I feel we need the running game to
win this, and I'm not very convinced it will be there. This could be the best team the Vikings have faced this year so far, so winning this game would be a huge confidence builder.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
Eagles simply out-coached the Packers in that one. They won that game by running the ball (which, as everyone should know by now, is how you beat the Packers) and stopping the run.
Everyone knows that except the Dallas Cowboys.
This will definitely be a tricky game and I agree with everything you guys are saying.
One other aspect to note is that the Eagles offense has started slow in all of their games this year, before getting rolling in the second half. Our defense also tends to start slow and then lock down. I'm interested to see if we can shut them down.
I think the home cooking helps the offense in this one. Fast field suits our offense, especially our WRs and Cook. Their D smelled the blood in the water last week, but I think our offense can get the run going and make play action work.
On D, I think we have the advantage being at home.
Quote: @HappyViking said:
I see this game as a potentially huge match
up problem for the Viking's offense; very similar to the Bears
game. The Eagles will be stout against the run, and do everything to make
the Vikings one dimensional. If the offense can't find the running game,
and is forced to win by a KC led passing game, I think the Vikes are in
trouble.
The Eagles are finding their rhythm,
and Wentz will have plenty of fans in the stands (ND boy growing up as a Viking fan). He's going to be aggressive
and most likely put up points on our D.
I feel we need the running game to
win this, and I'm not very convinced it will be there. This could be the best team the Vikings have faced this year so far, so winning this game would be a huge confidence builder.
You're forgetting a few things. Unlike the Bears, the Eagles secondary is the worst in the NFL. Of course, as I said, protection and balance will be the key to be able to take advantage of that. If Cousins melts down again, all bets are off. But I don't see that happening at home. Our defense at home will be the biggest difference maker. Honestly? I think we win easily, but didn't want to say that. :-)
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ HappyViking said:
I see this game as a potentially huge match
up problem for the Viking's offense; very similar to the Bears
game. The Eagles will be stout against the run, and do everything to make
the Vikings one dimensional. If the offense can't find the running game,
and is forced to win by a KC led passing game, I think the Vikes are in
trouble.
The Eagles are finding their rhythm,
and Wentz will have plenty of fans in the stands (ND boy growing up as a Viking fan). He's going to be aggressive
and most likely put up points on our D.
I feel we need the running game to
win this, and I'm not very convinced it will be there. This could be the best team the Vikings have faced this year so far, so winning this game would be a huge confidence builder.
You're forgetting a few things. Unlike the Bears, the Eagles secondary is the worst in the NFL. Of course, as I said, protection and balance will be the key to be able to take advantage of that. If Cousins melts down again, all bets are off. But I don't see that happening at home. Our defense at home will be the biggest difference maker. Honestly? I think we win easily, but didn't want to say that. :-) I do agree being at home should make a difference, but the Eagles did well on the road in Lambeau two weeks ago. They obviously don't mind playing in Minnesota either; the last time in the stadium was their SB win.
I agree the Bears secondary isn't a mess like the Eagles, but the Eagles front seven can really get after QBs, much like the Bears can. Pressure on KC and making him move is how to stop the Vikings passing game.
The other obvious position the Eagles have the nod is at QB. Wentz can move around and make something big out of nothing. This Eagles offense is much better than the Chase Daniels Bears offense. I do believe the Eagles will score, and if KC and the running game can't click, then it's a win for the road team.
I hope I'm wrong, of course, but I just don't think KC is good enough to lead the Vikings to win against a winning team with a strong D.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ HappyViking said:
I see this game as a potentially huge match
up problem for the Viking's offense; very similar to the Bears
game. The Eagles will be stout against the run, and do everything to make
the Vikings one dimensional. If the offense can't find the running game,
and is forced to win by a KC led passing game, I think the Vikes are in
trouble.
The Eagles are finding their rhythm,
and Wentz will have plenty of fans in the stands (ND boy growing up as a Viking fan). He's going to be aggressive
and most likely put up points on our D.
I feel we need the running game to
win this, and I'm not very convinced it will be there. This could be the best team the Vikings have faced this year so far, so winning this game would be a huge confidence builder.
You're forgetting a few things. Unlike the Bears, the Eagles secondary is the worst in the NFL. Of course, as I said, protection and balance will be the key to be able to take advantage of that. If Cousins melts down again, all bets are off. But I don't see that happening at home. Our defense at home will be the biggest difference maker. Honestly? I think we win easily, but didn't want to say that. :-)
This could be a huge game for the running backs in the passing game. Quick passes to avoid the rush to Cook, Mattison, Ham and Abdullah could open some running lanes later. That said, it will be a nail-biter none the less. 24-20.
Quote: @Ralphie said:
@ MaroonBells said:
@ HappyViking said:
I see this game as a potentially huge match
up problem for the Viking's offense; very similar to the Bears
game. The Eagles will be stout against the run, and do everything to make
the Vikings one dimensional. If the offense can't find the running game,
and is forced to win by a KC led passing game, I think the Vikes are in
trouble.
The Eagles are finding their rhythm,
and Wentz will have plenty of fans in the stands (ND boy growing up as a Viking fan). He's going to be aggressive
and most likely put up points on our D.
I feel we need the running game to
win this, and I'm not very convinced it will be there. This could be the best team the Vikings have faced this year so far, so winning this game would be a huge confidence builder.
You're forgetting a few things. Unlike the Bears, the Eagles secondary is the worst in the NFL. Of course, as I said, protection and balance will be the key to be able to take advantage of that. If Cousins melts down again, all bets are off. But I don't see that happening at home. Our defense at home will be the biggest difference maker. Honestly? I think we win easily, but didn't want to say that. :-)
This could be a huge game for the running backs in the passing game. Quick passes to avoid the rush to Cook, Mattison, Ham and Abdullah could open some running lanes later. That said, it will be a nail-biter none the less. 24-20.
Yeah, I think I saw somewhere where the Eagles give up more receiving yards to backs than anyone else in the NFL. Don't quote me on that, I might have dreamt it.
Eagles were a Mash unit earlier, what's the status today? Thats going to mean a lot.
This is a really big home game, one that I am really looking forward to attending.
Last time I watched the Eagles at home it was in the Metrodome with Tarvaris Jackson @ QB and Chilly at the helm. Pre Bert.
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