Where the Vikings May Struggle in Week 7 against the Eagles
The Vikings’ pass defense has been spectacular this year in more ways than one. According to NFL Pro, the Vikings’ defense has generated quick pressure (under 2.5 seconds) on a league-high 20.2% of their opponents’ dropbacks when sending four or fewer pass rushers this season, over three percentage points higher than the next closest defense (Browns, 17.1%).
NFL Pro also adds that Minnesota has recorded a league-low average time to pressure of 2.49 seconds when rushing four or fewer, nearly one-tenth of a second quicker than the next closest defense, the Arizona Cardinals, at 2.58 seconds time to pressure.
It’s not a shock that a Brian Flores defense is creating havoc in the offensive backfield for the opposing offensive operations they’ve gone up against this season. Additionally, the Vikings have the best pass coverage in the NFL by EPA per dropback.
As good as the pass rushing and coverage have been by this Brian Flores-led unit, it does have a weak point. That chink in the armor is the team’s run defense capabilities. By rushing yards allowed per game, the Minnesota Vikings rank 24th in the NFL with an average of 132.2 yards being allowed to opposing ball carriers per contest. Their 4.5 yards per carry is 21st in the NFL, and their 21 carries of 10+ yards allowed are 24th.
And it’s not all because teams are gashing them up the middle; teams are running to the outside of their offensive tackles on 58.5% of their rushing attempts, which is the 3rd-highest rate in the NFL behind only the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. Opposing offenses are calling run plays against the Vikings on 49.3% of snaps, the 2nd-highest rate in the league behind the New York Jets.
Thankfully for the Vikings, both their rushing offense and rushing defense have been statistically better than the Eagles’ through the first six weeks of the 2025 NFL season. The Eagles’ rushing offense has been the complete opposite of what it was last season, when Saquon Barkley had a legitimate argument for the league’s Most Valuable Player award.
The Eagles’ rushing offense by yards per game is actually 25th so far this season at 95.3 yards per game. That’s four spots behind the Vikings’ rushing offense at 21st with 106.8 yards per game. Minnesota’s run defense has also been better than the Eagles’ this year, as the Eagles rank three spots behind the Vikings at 27th with 134.4 rushing yards allowed per game.
The reason for concern for the Vikings is that the Eagles have much more potential for a “boom” in their rushing offense with the dual-threat of Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. The Eagles are also coming off an absolutely embarrassing loss in Week 6 on Thursday Night Football against Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, and the promising New York Giants.
On the positive side, the Vikings have had two weeks now to prepare for this game, and with this contest against the Philadelphia Eagles being the first game at U.S. Bank Stadium since their September 21st dismantling of the Jake Browning Bengals, the Bank should be absolutely rocking with the best fans in all of professional football.
