Because not only is this team trying to recover from a multi-week business trip to Europe, where most of the team became homesick less than halfway through, but the MN Vikings are doing their best to get healthy too.

Unfortunately, that task is proving much easier spoken than accomplished, especially after Minnesota was devastated by injuries up and down the roster, both before and during their trip overseas. But entering a new week, all eyes are on the Vikings’ QB room.

After Carson Wentz injured his left shoulder during Minnesota’s week 5 win in London against the Browns, the Vikings are down to just one healthy QB. Thankfully, JJ McCarthy is expected to return to practice this week, something NFL insider Tom Pelissero confirmed in a report at NFL Network Sunday morning.

Pelissero: Minnesota Vikings QB situation “murky, to say the least”

That means former Gopher Max Brosmer won’t have to play quarterback for both the Vikings’ first and second team offenses at practices this week. Unfortunately, that was where Tom’s good news ended.

From there, Pelissero reported that neither Wentz or McCarthy are healthy, entering week 7, and that Minnesota’s QB situation vs the Eagles remains “murky, to say the least”.

This morning, @TomPelissero reports that JJ McCarthy's ankle is not 100% yet and that the QB situation entering week 7 is "murky, to say the least"… 👀😵‍💫

"The Vikings quarterback situation is murky, to say the least… He should be able to return to practice this week, but… pic.twitter.com/UHnoyxpDqL

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) October 12, 2025

“The Vikings quarterback situation is murky, to say the least. JJ McCarthy, I’m told, got good work during the bye week. He should be able to return to practice this week, but McCarthy still is not 100% on that ankle.

They’ve got to see his mobility, they’ve got to see how the ankle responds. And they gotta make sure he is comfortable and in a groove, from an operational perspective, before they put him back out on the field.

Meanwhile, his backup Carson Wentz, dealing with a left shoulder injury, he could be limited in practice this week. A lot to sort through, to figure out who’s going to be on the field next week against the Eagles.”

Tom Pelissero – NFL Network (Sunday, October 12, 2025)

Of course, IF the MN Vikings’ top two quarterbacks cannot get healthy enough to take the field seven days from today, then it will be one-and-done Minnesota Golden Gopher Max Brosmer, who’d be called into action at U.S. Bank Stadium Sunday against the Eagles.

Max Brosmer SZN incoming…?

If Wentz isn’t doing team drills to start the week, I’d imagine Brosmer will, at the least, get QB1 reps at practice. In his first NFL season, the hometown undrafted rookie free agent has taken snaps in two games and he’s been active in four games total.

With those opportunities, Brosmer has thrown four passes, all of which came late in the Vikings’ blowout win week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He completed 2 of those 4 attempts, good for 29 passing yards and a 74.0 QB Rating.

Max Brosmer looked extremely comfortable and accurate attacking between the hashes yesterday. Don’t think you can say that about the majority of undrafted QBs. pic.twitter.com/XlglGGsAnd

— Tanner Weber (@Purple_Post) August 10, 2025

Related: Game Moving Too Fast for MN Vikings QB?

Brosmer also took one snap in London against the Cleveland Browns, a kneel-down that came with time expiring in the second quarter, after Carson Wentz exited to the locker room with the left shoulder injury that will limit him at Minnesota Vikings practice this week.

If Max is forced into action next weekend, Vikings fans shouldn’t be all that concerned about an offensive fallout. The line in front of whoever plays QB vs Philly, is expected to be healthier than it has been pretty much all season, and Max Brosmer’s biggest strengths are pre-snap processing and going through progressions quickly.

Titans show single-high, rotate post-snap to cover 2

Max Brosmer spots the rotation right away, speeds up his dropback and delivers a dart on the money for the hole shot to Fleming

This is high end QB play pic.twitter.com/p1bVhkI1K6

— Krauser (@Krauserrific) August 23, 2025

Related: MN Vikings Have Told Max Brosmer to Back Off

Coincidentally, those are the exact traits head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings offense needs more of, from their quarterback. And the Minnesota coaching staff is high on Brosmer for a reason. Should he get his first real NFL shot on Sunday, I expect him to take advantage of it.

There are some serious questions on the defensive side of the ball. The cornerback position looks more thin than it ever has. That may wind up being a problem for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

If he’s going to counteract that it will come in the form of an imposing pass rush. That unit has never been better, and a former flameout wouldn’t have been a consideration amongst this group.

Za’Darius Smith lands job with Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys kicked off the 2025 regular season. Jalen Carter gave us the spit heard round the world while being disqualified before even seeing a snap. Now he’ll be joined by a new rusher off the edge.

Three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith is signing with the #Eagles on a one-year deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Smith has 69 career sacks, including nine last season. Now he joins the defending champs on a deal negotiated by @ErikBurkhardt of ROC Nation. pic.twitter.com/yNkWtPmgCk

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 5, 2025

After an injury-marred season with Green Bay, Za’Darius Smith signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022. He played just a single game in 2021, but was available for 16 games while wearing purple.

His 10 sacks in 2022 were just the third time in eight seasons he had surpassed double-digit totals. He forced his way out of Minnesota only to join the Cleveland Browns and be less effective (5.5 sacks). After being traded again last season, this time to the Detroit Lions, Smith was made aware how little teams wanted to put up with him.

Unsigned through the offseason after being released in March, Smith finally found a home on Friday. The Philadelphia Eagles decided to bring him in on a one-year deal.

Related: NFL Network Host Drunk on Purple Kool-Aid and Vikings Nostalgia

The Eagles won 24-20 at home against the Dallas Cowboys to open the NFL schedule on Thursday. They looked outmatched though, and the defense didn’t record a single sack. Maybe that would have been better if Jalen Smith remained active, but the unit as a whole was laughable.

Now with a week to practice, Philadelphia will hope they can get him up to speed in shot order.

The Philadelphia Eagles just throttled the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Not only did they have a great defense, but they built their identity up front, on both lines. This is a strategy the Vikings will need to emulate soon, one they have yet to seriously pursue..

Minnesota Vikings need to make lines a priority

This season the Minnesota Vikings rolled out Blake Brandel as their left guard, hoping he would solidify that side. Performance issues then led to Dalton Risner stepping in for Ed Ingram at the other guard position, showcasing the team’s ongoing struggle to find consistency up front. The interior defensive line proved particularly weak, struggling against opposing offenses throughout the season. In contrast, the Philadelphia Eagles have long prioritized their linemen, both offensively and defensively, focusing on quality over quantity in their drafts. While Minnesota has not shied away from selecting linemen, their approach has often resulted in more bodies than standout performers, highlighting a clear disparity in strategy and execution between the two teams..

“Philadelphia has picked 40 players in the last five NFL drafts. Almost half of them have been linemen. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has not been shy about the trenches being his priority. “I’m sure there’s some people sick and tired of seeing the Philadelphia Eagles take linemen,” he said in 2021, “but that’s how we won a championship, and that’s how we’re going to win another championship.”

“Since 2020, the Vikings have had 17 picks in the first three rounds. They’ve used only two on defensive linemen: edge rushers Dallas Turner and Patrick Jones II. Conversely, during that span, Philadelphia has picked 16 players in the first three rounds. Five have been defensive linemen: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, Milton Williams and Jalyx Hunt.”

Alec Lewis on the Vikings line draft picks (The Athletic)

While this is largely in reference to the defensive front, the Minnesota Vikings need is two-fold. Help is a must on the interior of both lines, and Minnesota can’t afford to miss. They have virtually the entire cornerback room leaving, but the trenches also need to be addressed.

Related: NFL Insider Reveals: One Vikings DB Expected to Re-Sign, Another Likely to Leave

After a 14-win season, the Vikings own the 24th overall pick in the upcoming draft. It almost has to be used on a defensive tackle or guard. Thankfully this is a draft flush with interior talent.

Although the Vikings certainly get to laugh at the Eagles over the selection of Jalen Reagor leaving Justin Jefferson available, the other results have not been as kind.

“The other notable difference between the teams’ draftees in the trenches is the sheer number of hits. In 2018, the same year Philadelphia drafted Josh Sweat and Jordan Mailata in the fourth and seventh rounds, respectively, Minnesota whiffed on defensive tackle Jalyn Holmes and guard Colby Gossett in the fourth and sixth rounds. In 2022, the Eagles drafted starting center Cam Jurgens in the second round. Eight picks later, the Vikings snagged right guard and potential cut Ed Ingram.”

Lewis on the Vikings and Eagles line selections (The Athletic)

MN Draft Issues?

To say that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has missed during the draft process would be putting it kindly. He has been exceptional when identifying free agents, but cheap contracts are what allow a roster to function properly.

The Minnesota Vikings can’t afford to leave the lines untouched again, and they must make it work this offseason. Whether J.J. McCarthy is under center, or some other veteran quarterback is, both offense and defense need to show out up front.

Kevin O’Connell earned Coach of the Year honors this season because he got the team to perform despite lacking expectations. They are potentially going to take a step back next year, but the quality in the trenches can help to mitigate a disaster. As we learned this year however, expectations are just that.

Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season just wrapped up with Monday Night Football, but thanks to Thursday Night Football, we are knocking on the door of more NFL action, already. That is a good thing for Vikings fans who are hurting after the disappointing loss to start the season.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Game Today – The Ultimate TV Schedule For Vikings Fans

Point Spread

Minnesota Vikings +7 (-115) vs. Philadelphia Eagles -7 (-105)

Over/Under

Over 48.5 (-108) vs. Under 48.5 (-112)

Eagles week 1 Recap

The Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) look to get their offense going in Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season, vs the visiting Minnesota Vikings (0-1) on Thursday Night Football. Philadelphia opened the campaign with a 25-20 victory at New England, despite being outgained 382-251 and scoring just one offensive touchdown.

Jalen Hurts and the rest of the Eagles offense put up one of the worst fantasy performances of week 1, but still pulled out the real life victory. It was, essentially, the anti-version of how the Vikings vs Bucs game unfolded. Minnesota outgained Tampa Bay 369-242, but turned the ball over three times (Bucs had 0 TO) and couldn’t get the Bucs offense off the field in the 4th quarter.

Positives for the Eagles

Philadelphia got off to a strong start against New England in Week 1, building a 16-0 lead in the first quarter. The Eagles recorded both of their touchdowns in the period, after cornerback Darius Slay returned an interception 70 yards for a score. Jalen Hurts threw a five-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith. Hurts is looking to become just the sixth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to go 19-1 or better in a 20-start span.

The 25-year-old signal-caller came up with a big performance in Philadelphia’s 24-7 home victory against Minnesota in Week 2 last year. Hurts completed 26-of-31 pass attempts in that contest for 333 yards and a touchdown while also running for 57 yards and a pair of scores. Wideout Quez Watkins made two catches in the triumph, including one for a 53-yard touchdown.

Vikings week 1 Recap:

Minnesota is eager to bounce back from its one-score loss in Week 1 after going 11-0 in such contests last season. Despite committing three turnovers in the first half, Kirk Cousins was 33-of-44 for 344 yards and a pair of TDs against the Buccaneers. The 35-year-old quarterback recorded only three 300-yard performances in 2022, two of which came in overtime contests.

Justin Jefferson, who led the NFL with 1,809 receiving yards last year, hauled in nine passes for 150 yards in the season-opener. The 24-year-old has had nine games with at least 150 yards, the second-most through four seasons in league history behind Lance Alworth (10). With 4,975 receiving yards in 51 career contests, Jefferson is about to overtake Odell Beckham Jr. as the player to reach 5,000 the fastest in NFL history.

Related: Will Kirk Cousins Sign Discounted Contract to Stay with Justin Jefferson?

Vikings Injury Report Ahead of Thursday Night Football

Marcus Davenport (limited)
Christian Darrisaw (limited)
Garrett Bradbury (DNP)

Vikings vs Eagles Preview and Predictions

4 Keys to Victory

1. Getting rookie Jordan Addison involved when Jefferson gets doubled
   • The Vikings need to have a Plan B when Justin Jefferson faces double coverage. Relying on rookie Jordan Addison to step up and make plays when Jefferson is tightly covered could be a game-changer.
2. Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores staying aggressive on defense
   • Brian Flores needs to keep the Vikings’ defense aggressive, especially against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ dynamic offense. Blitzing and pressuring Hurts can disrupt their rhythm and create turnovers.
3. Offensive Play-calling
   • The Vikings must mix up their offensive play-calling to keep the Eagles’ defense guessing. A balanced attack with both the run and pass game can keep the defense off balance. I would also like to see KOC take a pause on tight end screens and find more ways to keep Jefferson involved the entire game.
4. Kirk Cousins galvanizing the team after a tough loss
   • As a veteran leader, Kirk Cousins needs to rally the team after a tough loss in Week 1. His composure and leadership can set the tone for a successful rebound. We saw his leadership in the Quarterback documentary on Netflix. We need to see it now too.

4 Bold Predictions

1. Prediction 1: Kirk Cousins will have 3+ touchdowns
   • Expect Kirk Cousins to bounce back with a stellar performance, throwing for three or more touchdowns to lead the Vikings’ offense.
2. Prediction 2: The defense will have an interception
   • The Vikings’ defense will come up with a crucial interception, disrupting Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ passing attack.
3. Prediction 3: Special teams will score a touchdown
   • Watch for the Vikings’ special teams to make a big play, potentially returning a kick or punt for a touchdown.
4. Prediction 4: Vikings will win in a close 1-score game
   • In what promises to be a thrilling matchup, the Vikings will pull off a close victory, proving their resilience after a tough Week 1 loss.

As we eagerly await Thursday Night Football, these predictions and keys to victory will be on the minds of Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles fans alike. With both teams looking to make an early statement in the 2023 NFL season, this game is sure to deliver exciting moments and unforgettable plays. Vikings fans just don’t want to see a repeat of their embarrassing loss to the Eagles last season.

Dom Clare | Minnesota Sports Fan

More recently even, a once dead question has risen from the ashes. With Jalen Hurts injured and unlikely to play again this week, could the (12-3) Vikings steal the NFC’s #1 seed from the (13-2) Philadelphia Eagles in the final two weeks of the season?

Battle for NFC Supremacy

For that to happen, the Vikings would have to win both of their next two games and the Eagles would have to lose both of theirs.

The Vikings need to win at Green Bay and at Chicago (and get help from Philadelphia) to seize the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed. Might need to do it to keep the No. 2 seed as well. Finishing 2-0 would be another chapter in their historic season. From Saturday @SportsCenter: pic.twitter.com/rmwvAkepuR

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 31, 2022

The Eagles have only lost two games all season and now we’re asking them to lose two straight to end the year? On top of that, the Vikings must beat the Packers and Bears on the road; something they have never done late in the season.

Hyperbole? Maybe. But what part of the Vikings’ 2022-23 season hasn’t been pulled from some tall tale Hollywood script? For that reason alone, it’s worth taking a deeper dive into what exactly the purple are up against.

Week 17: Saints @ Eagles (12:00 PM)

The Eagles are -5.5 point favorites to beat the Saints in Philly on Sunday (noon kickoff). Jalen Hurts is doubtful to play. He practiced for the first time in two weeks on Thursday and Friday but insiders expect Gardner Minshew to start under center for the 2nd-straight game.

Offense wasn’t the problem last week when the Eagles lost to the Cowboys in a 40-34 shootout but Minshew wasn’t great, finishing 22/40 for 355 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Philadelphia has a better football team than New Orleans but let’s be real. They become much more beatable without their MVP candidate quarterback. Sportsbooks can run up the spread on this game all they want but Gardner Minshew makes the Eagles just another team.

Week 17: Vikings @ Packers (3:25 PM)

Believe it or not, the (12-3) Minnesota Vikings are +3.5 point underdogs vs the (7-8) Green Bay Packers this weekend. Call it the Aaron Rodgers effect or late season Lambeau Field advantage if you want but if I’m Kevin O’Connell, I call it disrespect.

"This would be more than just a win for Minnesota. It's a statement that we are seizing the torch in the division once and for all. The @Vikings are 12-3 and are underdogs against the 7-8 Packers." @PSchrags pic.twitter.com/b31lZCo6sn

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) December 30, 2022

Still, as Minnesota sports fans we know better than to think the Vikings are going to walk into Green Bay and hang an easy W on a Packers team that must win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

We should know if the NFC’s #1 seed is still in play by the time this game starts but the San Francisco 49ers are biting at the Vikings’ heels for the #2 seed. That makes Eagles vs Saints irrelevant as to who takes the field for the purple and gold.

Week 18 Outlook

As mentioned earlier, the Vikings will play in Chicago vs the Bears next week. Even given their history at Soldier Field, they’ll be favorites as long as starters play.

Meanwhile, the Eagles will play at home vs the (8-6-1) New York Giants, who are smack dab in the middle of the NFC Wildcard race. Both of Philly’s losses this season were against division rivals (Cowboys, Commanders).

Again, week 18 won’t matter if the Minshew-led Eagles beat the Saints tomorrow. If this game matters, however, I’d expect Hurts to play.

What do prediction models and sportsbooks say?

FiveThirtyEight.com doesn’t like the odds of the Vikings stealing the #1 seed from the Eagles. According to their prediction model, the Vikings have just a 2% chance of winning the NFC, heading into week 17. The Eagles have a 94% chance. Should Philly lose on Sunday and Minnesota win, however, those odds will change drastically.

The sportsbooks (FanDuel.com) see a heist of the NFC’s #1 seed as nearly impossible as well, giving the Vikings +2700 odds to make it happen. That’s $100 to win $2,700. The Eagles, meanwhile, are -1450 to keep the #1 seed. That’s $1,450 to win $100. Even if you don’t believe in miracles, this seems worth betting Vikings. Wow.

Again, everything about the Minnesota Vikings 2022-23 season has been impossible. See you at your favorite betting site. Let’s turn miracles into cash.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Philly is 1-0 as well, after defeating the Detroit Lions last week. How did they look in that matchup? Pretty good, until they got up 31-14, after scoring a TD on their first 2nd-half drive. Then, the Lions roared back to within three points and nearly handed the Eagles an L.

It was a strong first half showing. In the 2nd half, however, Philly looked tired and lethargic. Lions RB, D’Andre Swift, did most of the damage, running wild for 144 yards on just 15 carries. Even Jared Goff looked formidable, at times late, posting 215 yards and 2 touchdowns of his own.

Experts Like Eagles over Vikings

Still, much of the “NFL Expert” world is on the Eagles bandwagon this week. Philadelphia enters Monday night as 2.5-point favorites. Many national media members do not trust Kirk Cousins in primetime and doubt whether the Vikings’ offense can find success in a hostile environment like what they’ll see tonight.

Picking the Eagles isn’t near unanimous, though. The Minnesota Vikings have their fair share of believers out there too. Out of 55 Eagles vs Vikings predictions below, just 21 NFL experts have the Vikings winning. That means 34 are going Eagles.

Just 3/10 experts at The Athletic picked Minnesota to defeat Philadelphia tonight. They’re an unpopular pick over at CBS Sports, too, where just 2/7 experts picked the Vikings to win. Bleacher Report (5/7 picked Vikings) and USA Today (4/7 picked Vikings) are the most confident in Minnesota’s chances.

National Prediction Roundup

Here is a roundup of how major media outlets/personalities across the NFL are picking tonight’s game between the Vikings and Eagles.

ESPN

• Stephania Bell: Eagles
• Matt Bowen: Eagles
• Mike Clay: Eagles
• Jeremy Fowler: Eagles
• Domonique Foxworth: Eagles
• Dan Graziano: Vikings
• Jason Reid: Eagles
• Laura Rutledge: Vikings
• Seth Wickersham: Eagles
• Damien Woody: Vikings
• Stephen A. Smith: Eagles
• Michael Irvin: Vikings

The Athletic

• Jay Morrison: Eagles
• Josh Kendall: Vikings
• Michael-Shawn Dugar: Eagles
• Tashan Reed: Eagles
• Ben Standig: Eagles
• Larry Holder: Eagles
• Mark Kaboly: Vikings
• Zach Berman: Eagles
• Austin Mock: Vikings
• Nick Kosmider: Eagles

CBS Sports

• Pete Prisco: Eagles
• Jason La Canfora: Vikings
• Will Brinson: Eagles
• Jared Dubin: Eagles
• Ryan Wilson: Eagles
• John Breech: Vikings
• Dave Richard: Eagles
• Jamey Eisenberg: Eagles

Sports Illustrated (MMQB)

• Albert Breer: Vikings
• Mitch Goldich: Vikings
• Gary Gramling: Eagles
• Conor Orr: Eagles
• John Pluym: Eagles

USA Today

• Jarrett Bell: Eagles
• Nate Davis: Eagles
• Safid Deen: Vikings
• Tyler Dragon: Eagles
• Parker Gabriel: Vikings
• Mike Jones: Vikings
• Lorenzo Reyes: Vikings

Pro Football Talk

• Mike Florio: Eagles
• Michael David Smith: Vikings

Bleacher Report

• Greg Ivory: Vikings
• Maurice Moton: Vikings
• Wes O’Donnell: Vikings
• Ian Kenyon: Eagles
• Kris Knox: Eagles
• Gary Davenport: Vikings
• Brent Sobieski: Vikings

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

And now that Kevin O’Connell has debuted his genius, the Vikings’ offense can no longer hide behind a veil of the unknown. The rest of the league, including the Philadelphia Eagles, now has 60 minutes of film on KOC’s schemes and parts of his playbook. Plus, an entire game’s worth of tape on what a defense should NOT do vs Justin Jefferson.

Vikings: Bring it on.

So what happens if the Philadelphia Eagles can use that to slow Jefferson? Will the offense wilt as a result? After what we witnessed on Sunday, I’m not convinced JJ can be slowed… But, even if an opponent were to find success with such an impossible task, the Minnesota Vikings remain unconcerned.

In fact, they appear to welcome such a challenge, according to a Thursday SportsCenter hit by Vikings beat reporter, Kevin Siefert. Essentially: ‘We have other weapons’.

“Talking to Vikings people this week, I think they feel pretty good that no matter what happens with [Justin] Jefferson, they’ll have some options. Adam Thielen, their veteran receiver, can beat any defense, same with KJ Osborn, their 3rd receiver. Dalvin Cook can run through a defense, as well. No matter what happens with Justin Jefferson, and the way the Eagles try to defend him, they feel confident they’ll have answers.” — Kevin Seifert (ESPN – SportsCenter)

What will Eagles do vs Jefferson?

The internal confidence is contagious and Minnesota’s offense did look sublime last week. Or, do the Eagles have a viable plan installed to make life more difficult on Justin Jefferson and O’Connell? Whatever the Eagles are cooking up to stop JJ, they aren’t giving out recipe secrets.

They have two very capable cornerbacks, one being Darius Slay, who is seen as a top-tier defensive back. But they, much like the Packers last week, may struggle with how much Justin Jefferson shuffles around play to play. It isn’t really about Slay having to chase JJ around pre-snap or starting plays on the move. It more so has to do with tipping coverages.

Philadelphia plays a mixture of zone and man. Its effectiveness, much like the Vikings new defense, relies a lot on pre-snap disguises. Chasing Jefferson around presnap could make it much easier for Kirk Cousins and Kevin O’Connell to read what the Eagles’ defense is trying to do.

“Monday night will be the first time the Eagles will have to face Jefferson since that draft blunder, and it’ll be interesting to see what the plan is to try to slow him down. Darius Slay is the obvious candidate, but as Gannon mentioned, it’s hard to game plan for receivers that line up everywhere, particularly when trying to have a corner follow the best receiver without tipping coverages.” — Jimmy Kempski (PhillyVoice.com)

Is the Eagles defense any good?

The Eagles were excited about their defense, entering the season. This, after they ranked near the bottom in sacks and pressures last year. Their goal was to limit big plays by bringing in more talent for the secondary and interior offensive line. They drafted (DT) Jordan Davis in the first round and plucked veteran (CB) James Bradbury out of free agency.

Near the halfway point of their week one contest vs the Detroit Lions, the Eagles defense was feeling pretty good. But then, the Lions scored on four-straight drives (not including an end-of-half kneel-down) and surged back to nearly claim victory. D’Andre Swift posted 155 yards rushing and Jordan Davis only played 22 snaps.

When it was all over, Philly had surrendered 35 points on just 386 total yards allowed. Their DVOA good for 21st in the NFL. A performance that won’t be viable vs a superior Minnesota Vikings offense. The more I dig into this matchup, the more I’m prone to agree with those inside the organization who are not concerned with the Eagles’ plan to stop them on Monday night.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Justin Jefferson is a rookie phenom. He was on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” today and the hosts were drooling all over him. It was fun to watch (more on that shortly). But the best part came when they showed JJ the zoom video of Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings virtual draft room reacting to the Philadelphia Eagles selecting (WR) Jalen Reagor at #21.

There’s no doubt about who the Vikings wanted at #22.

The #Vikings virtual draft room reacting to the Eagles picking Jalen Reagor over Justin’s Jefferson is life. pic.twitter.com/eZhThea5Ml

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 20, 2020

Every GM says they drafted the player they wanted in the spot they wanted and they were always lucky to get “said player”. But when you look at that video, there’s no doubt the Vikings were hoping and praying that Justin Jefferson would fall to them. They virtually (pun intended) ran to the podium to draft JJ.

More Love Coming

Justin Jefferson is currently leading all rookie wide receivers in receiving yards, yards per reception, yards per target and catch %, even while playing in the league’s most run-heavy offense. He’s tied WITH RANDY MOSS for the most 100 yard receiving games of any rookie in franchise history (4) and the Vikings still have 7 games remaining on the schedule.

Jefferson was the 5th wide receiver taken in the 2020 NFL Draft. Here is where he ranks in the most valued WR stat categories, compared to the other receivers drafted in the 1st round (according to Pro Football Reference).

JJ will Griddy until it’s on Madden

I highly recommend you watch the entire interview between GMFB and Jefferson. The Vikings’ Twitter account cut out this part where JJ tells the hosts that he will Griddy until EA puts it on Madden. So, that will happen with the next update because they are now being tagged by every Minnesota fan on the platform.

Gotta keep hitting the Griddy until they put it on @EAMaddenNFL

?: @GMFB | @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/70jhSz0kG3

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 20, 2020

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

This sure-fire internet HOF lock, of this Philadelphia Eagles fan’s 16+ minute rant, has so much to unpack that I don’t even know where to start. Let’s just say, I learned a lot about the Philadelphia Eagles players, both on the field, and off… This guy uses more sexual metaphors in these 16 minutes, than I have ever used on Twitter. I kind of feel like a pussy… But then again, this is a perfect representation of how fucked up the entire Eagles fanbase is… and I don’t think I’d want anything to do with my own comparison. This dumb fuck just saw his team win a Super Bowl 1.5 years ago and he is still this mad…. take a fucking Xanex and relax, holy aliens…

If the Vikings won a Super Bowl, I might turn into all of the old Twins fans that still live in a 5-year span from 1987-1992, where Minnesota was on top of the baseball world, as if the team hasn’t absolutely sucked ever since. Not this Eagles guy, though. 

This is the guy that’s had 7 sit-down conversations with his manager at work about how starting fights over sports teams won’t be tolerated (which isn’t true because Philly wouldn’t have a workforce anymore) and says “fuck you” to the McDonalds drive thru attendant because he had to pull into the “waiting for my food” space while others behind him went through.

Then again, what the fuck am I talking about? I just bet a Philly on twitter, that if the Eagles make it farther than the Vikings this season, I’ll get their logo tattooed to my ass cheek… but I also feel a lot better about that bet, after watching this guy rip that team to shreds, player by player.

So, “Clint from Philly” slid into my DM’s and got me to bet that the #Vikings will make it further than the #Eagles this postseason.

Ass tattoo on the line: pic.twitter.com/mNtOmNiQ0R

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) October 14, 2019

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The quarterback that everyone had written off (including me) brought the best version of himself today, and in a game where Fletcher Cox was holding down Dalvin Cook throughout much of the first half and the defense didn’t bring the tenacity for all four quarters, the Vikings needed him.

I know the Philly secondary is absolutely terrible but I haven’t seen Kirk Cousins this confident since last year’s back-to-back games vs Green Bay and the LA Rams. Today, Kirk racked up over 300 yards and 4 TD’s but even before all of that accumulated, the confidence was there. This pass to Adam Thielen in the first quarter still sticks out to me.

Kirk Cousins ➡️ Adam Thielen for a #Vikings 1st down pic.twitter.com/hXPbbRqXKp

— Sean Borman (@SeanBormanNFL) October 13, 2019

From there, “You Like That” Kirk Cousins took over and decided there was no way that Stefon Diggs was going to be yelling at him or skipping practice after this game. The first touchdown he threw was to Thielen but from there, he and Stefon Diggs were the two best friends that anyone could have.

Nobody knows exactly how Diggs felt about Cousins during that week that he was throwing temper tantrums, but any negative feelings that existed back then or up until this point, should be out the window now. Diggs was open all game… and Kirk Cousins found him all game. Football is fun when your team is winning and playing well, huh?

You really love to see it.#Skol pic.twitter.com/S4bPZRuDtX

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 13, 2019

Don't want to defend Diggs?

You're going to regret that decision. pic.twitter.com/lQ0zfOHOLt

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 13, 2019

.@stefondiggs is out here feasting today!#Skol pic.twitter.com/3Rbl9mtSPy

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 13, 2019

While Kirk Cousins was tossing dimes all over the Philadelphia secondary, the defensive side of the ball feasted early, struggled in the middle, and then ate Carson Wentz and his feelings to finish. If you are having any type of success vs Mike Zimmer, you need to be ready for the adjustment. It’s coming every time. He’s the best in the business when it comes to that. But, it looked like Carson turned into a fat cat and thought he was going to pick Zim’s defense apart for the entire second half.

There was a specific moment when he realized that wasn’t the case… and he was never the same, afterward. It was the 3rd quarter and the game was still well within reach for the Eagles. In trying to figure out the defense the Vikings were playing, Wentz was forced into a delay of game. Then, this happened right after….

…he should have taken another delay.

Don't want to defend Diggs?

You're going to regret that decision. pic.twitter.com/lQ0zfOHOLt

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 13, 2019

If you would’ve told me that Dalvin Cook was going to be held under 50 yards and that the Vikings’s defense would be spotty at times during this game, I would’ve been reluctant to tell you we’d win…. let alone, win easily. But, that’s why you play the game. Say what you want about how much money Kirk Cousins has made, vs what he’s earned, up until this point; but there’s no denying that the $84 Million Man earned his paycheck today.

4-2 feels good.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan