Questions Answered: Something to Prove, Key to Victory in PHI, Odds to Cover
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the September 18th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
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Q: Do the Vikings have something to prove against the Eagles?
A: Not particularly. Because they scored the victory in Week 1, the game in Philadelphia isn’t a must-win. Had the Vikings lost at home to the Packers, this Monday night game would be required for playoff-contendership relevance.
That said, if the Vikings can knock off the Eagles, who are considered by many as an upper-echelon team, Minnesota will head to the front of the pack in the NFC. In that regard, they do have something to prove. If the Vikings want to be considered Super Bowl contenders, winning on Monday is mandatory.
Q: If you had to nominate one “key to victory” for the Vikings, what would it be?
A: Easy — stop the run.
The Vikings run defense wasn’t very good against the Packers, and no one is too sure if that was designed to limit big plays through the air or if the run defense is still ineffective (like the 2020 and 2021 editions).
Philadelphia will run the ball until the Vikings stop it, so Minnesota’s front seven must be ready to stifle a hodgepodge of runners like Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell, and Jalen Hurts.
If the Vikings do not stop the run, they will lose. Plain and simple. Limiting penalties and turnovers help, too.
Q: Are most people betting on the Vikings or Eagles?
A: The Vikings. Eighty percent of bettors are choosing Minnesota to cover the two-point underdog line.
Both rosters are peppered with talent, but the Eagles have homefield advantage. That’s about all there is separating the teams. The Vikings have a more complete offense, whereas the Eagles have a superior secondary.
The game will likely be close, and bettors favor the Vikings to stay within two points — to the tune of 80%.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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