Game Preview – MIN at PHI

Vikings at Eagles. Contenders or pretenders? Today will give us a clue about both teams.

We’d love this game to fit in a storyline.

It may only be week five but today’s game could turn out to be pivitol.
Beat the Vikings and use it for a launching pad. The Eagles have yet to play up to their potential this season.
Hopefully today’s the day!

— Merrill Reese (@mreeseeagles) October 7, 2018

One of the valid points Chip Kelly made in his tenure came after an OT win over the Cowboys in 2015. Reporters wanted to know if that game could be a launching pad for the Eagles. Kelly explained that football doesn’t work like that. You win or lose each week based on what you do that day. Sure enough, the Eagles lost the next three games.

One of the real strengths of Doug Pederson has been the ability to get his team to truly focus on one week at a time. Win today and that gets you to 3-2. It doesn’t mean anything beyond that. Focus on what is directly in front of you…what you control.

If the Eagles have that kind of focus today, they should win this game. If…

This certainly won’t be an easy game. The Vikings might be 1-2-1, but they have talent. And some inside info.

From @gmfb Weekend: Former #Eagles QB coach and now #Vikings OC John DeFilippo huddled with Minnesota's defensive staff in the spring and thoroughly broke down his old team. pic.twitter.com/3G3hqDTQCq

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2018

Players and coaches move around the league every year so we probably make too much of this, but it certainly doesn’t hurt the Vikings to have this information. The Eagles know Flip talked to them so they will plan accordingly.

I wrote my preview for PE.com.

The Eagles need to win the LOS in this game.

Biggest mismatches along the LOS:

Jurrell Casey vs. BUF IOL
Melvin Ingram vs. Brandon Parker
Fletcher Cox vs. Mike Remmers
Brandon Graham vs. Rashod Hill
Aaron Donald vs. SEA IOL
Bakhtiari vs. DET DEs
Von vs. Shell

— Brandon Thorn (@VeteranScout) October 7, 2018

That is two spots where the Eagles have a distinct advantage…LDE and DT. Graham and Cox need to win those matchups. They need to make plays.

MIN has a distinct advantage with their WRs against the Eagles secondary. If the guys up front win often enough, the Eagles can negate that advantage. This isn’t just Jalen Mills against Stefon Diggs. It is Mills/Graham/Cox against Diggs. That helps quite a bit, but only if Cox and Graham win their battles.

The rushers need to be disciplined. Cousins ran for 48 yards in two games vs the Eagles last year. He’s not the most elusive or fastest, but he can make plays with his legs.

Isn’t it time for Nigel Bradham to have a big game? He’s been quiet this year.

I don’t know what to expect from Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense. The Vikings defense is vulnerable, but the Eagles have been erratic. This would be a fantastic time to have a breakthrough game. It would be great to see the Eagles score 28 or 30 points.

Go win this game.

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