Iggles: Pick it!

[HappyViking]

Ok, we had a nice road win against a mediocre team; I'll take it!  I'm feeling better about the Vikes; especially after having the Bears lose against a Raiders team we dominated.  I guess I just prove each week that I don't know anything.  Anyway, I still don't believe our Captain Kirk can lead us to victories against good teams (not until I see it), and I do believe we'll be facing a very good Philly team this week.  I think Philly will shut down the run, and force a couple turnovers from our QB.
Vikes: 13Iggles: 23

[Guest]

I'll be bumping the Zimmer thread this week...

Iggles 19
Vikings 10

[Guest]

Vikings are favored by 3 points... 

Mike Zimmer is 31-12-1 ATS at home as the Vikings' coach, the best ATS percentage by any coach in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 games). And he is 2-0 this season. 

Despite what some think, Zimmer is a good coach and great developer of talent.  I think Cousins plays well enough this week and the Vikings get the Dub.

Vikings 27
Eagles 20

[Guest]

@Wetlander said:
Vikings are favored by 3 points... 

Mike Zimmer is 31-12-1 ATS at home as the Vikings' coach, the best ATS percentage by any coach in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 games). And he is 2-0 this season. 

Despite what some think, Zimmer is a good coach and great developer of talent.  I think Cousins plays well enough this week and the Vikings get the Dub.

Vikings 27
Eagles 20

Hope you're right, Wet, I really, really do.  My problem is I just keep seeing this image. B)

[Guest]

Vikings 19

Eagles  14

[Guest]

@"BarrNone55" said:
I'll be bumming the Zimmer thread this week...

Iggles 19
Vikings 10

So will I. :-)

I actually feel better about this game than I do the Lions on the road the following week. 

What I don't like... 
* Vikings will have a hard time running the ball against the league's #1 run defense, so that means the Vikings will have to pass in this game. And those passes will be under pressure, too. So it is very possible this is one of Captain Kirk's "Mr. Hyde " games. 

* My biggest criticism of Zimmer is his ability to prepare an effective game plan based on the opponent's strengths and weaknesses. He adjusts better than any coach I've ever seen, but sometimes it's not enough to overcome the bad-prep hole he's dug (see Packers). I feel the opposite about Pederson. 

What I like...
* The Vikings are at home and that makes a big difference in this one. Both for Cousins, who is less likely to disappear up his own ass at home, and for our pass rush.
* The pressure the Eagles will get on Cousins balances what is probably the biggest mismatch in the NFL this weekend: Thielen and Diggs vs. Douglas and James, perhaps the NFL's worst pair of starting corners right now. The Vikings will have to either max protect or roll Cousins out to take advantage, but this should be a big game for both of the purple wides, provided the Vikings don't fall into the trap of abandoning balance like the Packers did
* Eagles are 2nd in the NFL in receptions allowed to running backs. Dalvin may get more receiving yards than rushing yards in this one.
* Rhodes struggles against quick, smallish receivers. The big, physical Alshon Jeffery is the kind of receiver he plays well against. Last time they played. Rhodes shut him down. AJ will be a non factor in this one. 

Too close to call...
RT Lane Johnson against Danielle Hunter and LT Jason Peters against Everson Griffen. That will be a good one to watch.
Gary Kubiak's wide zone and Dalvin Cook against the Eagles top-ranked run defense. 
Since Zimmer took over the Vikings have been the NFL's best 3rd down defense and no one is really close. The Eagles lead the league so far this year in 3rd down offense.

Vikings 30
Eagles 17

[Guest]

Eagles 24
Vikings 17

Their O-Line is Top Notch and I simply don't trust Zimmer to do anything but rush 4 until it's too late. He's going to be too worried about all the misdirection and pick plays they run to bring extra heat early in the game. And let's not forget that their RB played pretty good against Mike's Defense when he was wearing a Bears uniform.

On Offensive it will look a lot like the Chicago game until the team is down 3 scores. Then Mike will let Stefanski take the restraining bolt off of Cousins and he'll rack up some meaningless stats and tack on a late score to make the game look closer than it really was.

IF this team comes out passing early and throwing a lot of exotic fake and real blitze looks at Carson they can win. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Guest]

@FSUVike said:
Eagles 24
Vikings 17

Their O-Line is Top Notch and I simply don't trust Zimmer to do anything but rush 4 until it's too late. He's going to be too worried about all the misdirection and pick plays they run to bring extra heat early in the game. And let's not forget that their RB played pretty good against Mike's Defense when he was wearing a Bears uniform.

On Offensive it will look a lot like the Chicago game until the team is down 3 scores. Then Mike will let Stefanski take the restraining bolt off of Cousins and he'll rack up some meaningless stats and tack on a late score to make the game look closer than it really was.

IF this team comes out passing early and throwing a lot of exotic fake and real blitze looks at Carson they can win. I'll believe it when I see it.

Chicago has one of the NFL's best secondaries tp go with their pass rush. Eagles have what is probably the NFL's worst.  I don't think this will look anything like the Bears game. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:

@FSUVike said:
Eagles 24
Vikings 17

Their O-Line is Top Notch and I simply don't trust Zimmer to do anything but rush 4 until it's too late. He's going to be too worried about all the misdirection and pick plays they run to bring extra heat early in the game. And let's not forget that their RB played pretty good against Mike's Defense when he was wearing a Bears uniform.

On Offensive it will look a lot like the Chicago game until the team is down 3 scores. Then Mike will let Stefanski take the restraining bolt off of Cousins and he'll rack up some meaningless stats and tack on a late score to make the game look closer than it really was.

IF this team comes out passing early and throwing a lot of exotic fake and real blitze looks at Carson they can win. I'll believe it when I see it.

Chicago has one of the NFL's best secondaries tp go with their pass rush. Eagles have what is probably the NFL's worst.  I don't think this will look anything like the Bears game. 

Agree to disagree. Zimmer doesn't want to waste time on incomplete passes early in the game so they will try to run the ball, which has even less chance of working with Kline out.

If they actually come out attacking the Eagles depleted Secondary I will be pleasantly surprised. That's a big if in my mind.

[Guest]

Vikes in a tight one:  24 - 20