Do the Eagles remain a power at home?
Thursday Night tip Eagles vs. Vikings and the question is whether the Vikings can stop the Eagles? It should be difficult in any case, as the Eagles had a 9-2 record at home until last year’s Super Bowl. In many of those games, their defense didn’t allow much.
Also in 2022, the Eagles had their first home game against Minnesota and the final score was 24-7 for Philly. It could be a similar story on Thursday, as while the Eagles have maintained their level of play, the Vikings have, if anything, weakened a bit.
Kirk Cousins is a year older and the running game is barely existent. At least their defense showed some good touches in the first game of the season against Tampa. A point, which is why subpar points are also expected for Thursday night.
So for Philadelphia vs. Minnesota, our prediction is a home win for the Eagles, where the total score will not rise to immeasurable heights. 42 points were scored by both teams together on the first day of the game and a similar total is quite possible for Thursday.
Kickoff of this NFC rematch from last year is Sunday at 02:15 in Philadelphia. The game can be watched live on DAZN.
Philadelphia Eagles – statistics & current form
Philly continues to rock, but that was surprisingly close at the end against the Patriots. Especially after they already led 16-0 after the first quarter. But in the end, the Pats’ final drive was just inches short of a catch to get dangerously close to their end zone.
It just goes to show that the Eagles are vulnerable when given the right assignments. However, the game was also at the Pats’ Gillette Stadium and against head coach Bill Belichick – neither of which the Vikings can serve with on Sunday.
Rushing Game still not outstanding
Last year, yes, it was “play on, play off” the Rushing Game that presented their opponents with insurmountable problems. But against New England, that hasn’t really kicked in yet. With 97, they didn’t even crack the usually normal 100 yard mark with their running game.
In fact, that was only the 15th-best total in the NFL on the first day of play. It won’t stay that way, though, and we’re already seeing the 100-yard mark drop against the Vikings. Among other things, that could lead to us seeing the first rushing touchdowns for Philadelphia – most likely from Jalen Hurts.
Efficiency still has room for improvement
What also needs to improve: Their efficiency on third and fourth down attempts. They were very weak there, going 4 of 13 and 0 of 1, when it was one of their big strengths last year. It could be that opponents have adjusted a little better to those short yardage packages from their O-line now.
Will that jeopardize an Eagles win on Sunday? Not at all, as the Vikings are off to a much worse start and have much less potential to improve. Thus, for Philly vs. Minnesota a tip on the Eagles -7.5 points here is our clear betting recommendation.
Key Players:
QB: Jalen Hurts
RB: Rashaad Penny
WR: A.J. Brown
TE: Dallas Goedert
K: Jake Elliott
Minnesota Vikings – stats & recent form
We had the Vikings pegged as a major slippery slope candidate this season, and they lived up to that prediction on the very first day of play. With a home loss to the much weaker rated Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was almost clear that Minnesota wouldn’t win every one-score game like they did last year, but against the Bucs, a win was firmly in the cards. Now, root cause analysis is the order of the day, and it runs deep for the Vikings, as they’re almost hanging on at every turn.
Nearly no running game
If the Eagles were already not completely satisfied with their 97 rushing yards, what should we say about the Vikings’ 41 rushing yards? Underground probably sums it up pretty well, especially since seven of those yards even came from quarterback Kirk Cousins.
There needs to be a significant increase, but how? Alexander Mattison is a typical backup running back in our eyes. If even the duo of Ezekiel Elliott and Rhamondre Stevenson can only get 76 rushing yards against Philly, how will Minnesota manage more?
We don’t see it, and we think it makes the Vikings very one-dimensional on Sunday. That, in turn, opens up opportunities for Philly’s secondary and we see at least one interception from Cousins coming our way – more likely.
Inferior in all respects
But since the Vikings are inferior to the Eagles in that area as well (with the exception of Justin Jefferson), there is little to give them hope. Their defense that couldn’t even get a handle on Baker Mayfield? It’s not looking good for Minnesota.
So for Eagles vs Vikings, odds on some handicapping for the home team are still playable. We can still give them up to 7 or 8 points going into the game with a clear conscience – and even up to 10 points is still possible with this favorite status.
Key Players:
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Alexander Mattison
WR: Justin Jefferson
TE: T.J. Hockenson
K: Greg Joseph
Philadelphia Eagles – Minnesota Vikings head-to-head comparison / H2H record
The two teams already met in the same place in the preseason and the result was a 24:7 victory for the Philadelphia Eagles. They didn’t get much worse, but the Vikings had to let go with Thielen or Smith.
Therefore, it would not be a big surprise if a result like last year would appear on the scoreboard again on Sunday. Even with one more Vikings touchdown, it would still be a two-score game.
So with Philadelphia vs. Minnesota, the odds on Philly are a good bet both with a -7.0 handicap and combined with Under 49.5 total points, as we don’t trust the Vikings to score 20 points in this game by a long shot.
Philadelphia Eagles – Minnesota Vikings Tip
The bottom line is that the Eagles can only beat themselves on Sunday. If they make mistakes like the fumble against the Pats or failed 4th downs, it could be close. But even then, we still see Philly ahead in the end.
So for Eagles vs Vikings, a bet on Philly + Under 49.5 points is our 1 bet, followed by handicap bets on them. Half-time/finish bets per Philadelphia are also an option, as the Eagles traditionally start their games very strong.
Another alternative that is always an option in Philly games: Picks on a touchdown by Jalen Hurts. He scored 13 touchdowns via the run last year, and since he didn’t score on Game Day 1, the odds are growing that he will on Sunday – especially at home in Lincoln Financial Field.
