Hello everyone, and welcome to the Week 7 Minnesota Vikings roundtable here at Daily Norseman. The Vikes are coming off the bye week following two weeks across the pond, and now will turn their efforts
toward the Philadelphia Eagles in a battle of teams searching for their identities.
Can the Vikings lead the Eagles to a little more soul-searching with a win this weekend?
Let’s talk to it.
Question 1: Does any part of you actually think of this as a “Carson Wentz revenge game?”
Brandon Warne: No, not really. It’s a fun narrative and will be something we in the quasi-media cling to as a bit if he can lead the Vikings to a win, but it’s far from an actual revenge game. But in reality, this would be even less of a revenge game than Jake Browning against the Vikings was earlier this season — and we all pretty roundly denied that was a revenge game, as well.
Christopher Gates: I don’t know about the “revenge game” narrative for Carson Wentz. Sure, he was drafted by the Eagles and spent plenty of time there, but he’s already had his first game against the Eagles (which he lost), and he’s played for four other teams in the interim between the Eagles and the Vikings. I’m sure I’ll probably say “revenge game” in a sort of tongue-in-cheek manner, but I don’t know if you can actually call it a revenge game or anything.
David Stefano: Nope. The idea of revenge fades the further a player gets from being released by a team. Carson has been on five teams since they let him go.
Warren Ludford: No, I don’t think this is a Carson Wentz revenge game, as his time with the Eagles ended five years ago. But I do think it would give him more than the usual satisfaction to get a win over the Eagles and show them he can still play.
Sam Buegler: Not really. He has played against them before, and it has been so many years and teams for him since he was with them. I would be more interested in seeing Isaiah Rodgers vs his former team, if there had to be a revenge game somewhere.
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Question 2: Our consensus rankings at Daily Norseman have the Vikings power-ranked at No. 17.5 among the 32 NFL teams. Where do you think they’d settle in if they can beat the Eagles?
BW: I’ll go with the lucky No. 13. For some reason or another, I just don’t feel like the power rankings like to give the Vikings their due. The Packers are oftentimes rated well above the Vikings when the teams are relatively similar — though this is me just airing my grievances in general as opposed to living in the now. Still, I agree with the idea that it’ll be treated as “look what the Eagles did” rather than from the Vikings’ point of view — and that’s kinda lame.
CG: I think it would push them to the edge of the top 10. The Eagles have struggled in recent weeks after giving up a 14-point lead to the Broncos in the fourth quarter and getting blown out by the New York Football Giants, but they’re still the defending champions, and they still can play good football. A win over them would still be a solid, quality win, and should count for something as the Vikings try to get back on track.
DS: They would likely move up to around 12th, though expectations for their season would remain modest.
WL: The consensus ranking is fair, and I expect it to move up a bit — but not a lot — with a win over the Eagles. If the Vikings win, it will be because the Eagles continue in their funk, while if the Eagles win, the Vikings will drop.
SB: My guess is that the Vikings wouldn’t move up that much, probably within the 11-15 range. The media would most likely attribute it more to the Eagles’ failure rather than the Vikings’ success, even if it is the other way around.
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Question 3: What matchup concerns you the most this Sunday?
BW: Everyone else is going with an excellent choice of Saquon Barkley against a suddenly porous Vikings run defense, so I’ll change it up a bit. The Eagles are pretty solid across the board by PFF score, so I’m a bit concerned by the one area they have that ranks more highly than the rest — their pass rush grade (77.9). It probably speaks to Philly’s balance that this ranking (ninth among all NFL teams) is their highest total. Still, I’m just not sure how excited I am about a less-than-100 percent — though closer than before — offensive line and a quarterback with a dubious ability to handle pressure will hold up in this one.
CG: Without question, it’s Saquon Barkley against the Vikings’ run defense. In the games that the Vikings have lost this year, they’ve gotten shredded on the ground, and now they have the reigning Offensive Player of the Year coming to town. Barkley hasn’t lit it up this year the way he did last season, but he’s still the best running back in the league, in my opinion, and if the Vikings can’t stop him or slow him down, it’s going to be a long afternoon for the defense. Blake Cashman is going to be back, so that should help, at least.
DS: Saquon Barkley having a career-best rushing day.
WL: The Eagles’ running game vs. the Vikings’ defense. I’m sure the Eagles would like to get back on track by having a monster rushing game against the Vikings’ defense, which has struggled against the run.
SB: The Vikings run defense vs Saquon. He hasn’t had his best season, but the Vikings, so far this year, have been unable to stop the run. They have allowed roughly 132 yards per game against backs who might not be considered “elite” (Sorry, Quinshon Judkins). Going against a player like Saquon is definitely scary.
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Question 4: If the Vikings win this Sunday, it’s because (fill in the blank) _________.
BW: Take an early lead and limit how much the Eagles can pound the ball with Saquon Barkley. As you’ve already read, the boys at Daily Norseman are quite concerned with this matchup. A 14-0 lead in the second quarter won’t take Barkley completely out of the offensive plan for the Eagles, but it would go a long way to making Jalen Hurts have to elevate his game through the air — something I don’t think he can do against this defense.
CG: If the Vikings win on Sunday, it will be because they did, in fact, slow down Saquon Barkley and keep the Eagles’ offense behind the chains. If the Vikings can consistently have the Eagles in second or third-and-long situations, Brian Flores will be able to unleash on Jalen Hurts and company, and the Eagles have had some significant struggles in the pass game this year, so that’s the Vikings’ path to a victory in this one.
DS: They score more points — obviously! But really, they win the turnover battle, Flores’ ability to disguise coverages proves key to disrupting Hurts, and they execute an effective, efficient offense.
WL: … they were the better team. Of course, the Eagles are the Super Bowl champions, but every season is different and every team is different. Both teams look good on paper when healthy and have good rosters, but you still have to play the game.
SB: The defense steps up. Flores’ unit creates turnovers, wreaks havoc, and doesn’t let the Eagles’ offense get going.
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Question 5: What’s your final score/result prediction?
BW: I can’t decide. I don’t want to go all season picking the Vikings to win every single game like a homer might, so I’ll just say that someone wins this one, 24-20.
CG: When I did our Five Good Questions with the folks at Bleeding Green Nation, I said that I didn’t feel super good about this game… and, to be honest, I still don’t. I think the Vikings are going to make some plays against an Eagles’ secondary that’s having its issues at the moment, but in the end, I can’t shake the feeling that the Eagles’ ground game is going to be too much. I gave BGN a prediction of 23-20, Eagles, and unfortunately, I’m going to have to stick with that one.
DS: Vikings, because they have the home-field advantage at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the crowd noise can disrupt a misfiring opposing offense. Blake Cashman returns to strengthen the defense, and the offensive line will be nearly full strength if Brian O’Neill plays.
WL: I’ll go with the Vikings 27-24 in a game the Eagles let get away in the second half. I expect the Eagles to start strong after losing two straight, but the Vikings will hang with them and finish strong to get the win.
SB: Vikings are going to take it. The Eagles might come out hot, but U.S. Bank is going to be rocking after our overseas adventure, and the Vikings should settle in to be able to pull out a tough win. It will be a close game, but I will go 20-17 Vikings.
