Vikings vs Eagles Week 2: Can the Vikings Defense Stop Eagles QB Hurts from Scrambling?

• This is the second Monday Night Football matchup in Week 2 of the 2022 season
• Both Minnesota and Philadelphia are 1-0 after two exciting Week 1 wins
• Watch Vikings vs Eagles live on Monday, September 19, 2022, at 8:30 PM ET on ABC

Vikings vs Eagles Odds

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Vikings vs Eagles Pick

If Philadelphia plays at home in Week 2 the way they did away in Week 1 they could be able to cover the spread against these 1-0 Vikings.

Philadelphia Eagles -1.5 (-110)

This is the second Monday Night Football matchup in Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season and it promises to be a thrilling cross-divisional NFC battle between two undefeated teams – the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles, both with better offenses than defenses.

Last week, the Vikings got a big divisional win over the Green Bay Packers as they made QB Aaron Rodgers tear his newly coiffed hair out as Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins had success targeting WR Justin Jefferson but it’s the defense (4 sacks, INT, 5 QB hits) that won that game.

Now that the Eagles have a franchise QB – Jalen Hurts – and a legitimate deep threat WR target – A.J. Brown – that offense can do some damage as they proved last week against a Detroit Lions team that would not go away though every Eagles TD was from the ground game.

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Minnesota Vikings vs Philadelphia Eagles Predictions

Can the Vikings Defense Stop Eagles QB Hurts from Scrambling?

A big key to a Vikings win has got to be putting a stop to Eagles QB Jalen Hurts’ mobility, the young speedy scrambler capable of escaping the pocket and taking advantage of man coverage by bolting forward into the open midfield for first downs and more throughout all four quarters.

It will be up to Minnesota’s DEs and LBs to set the edge and keep Hurts contained where he can do less damage with his legs, a tough job for guys like DE Jonathan Bullard, DT Harrison Phillips, and DE Dalvin Tomlinson who are already busy doing the heavy blocker busting.

Last week the Vikings defense were part of a great win over the Packers where they posted an interception, four sacks, and five QB hits on Aaron Rodgers, their job now to make life difficult for the young Eagles QB so that he is rushed into making mistakes and errant throws.

Can the Eagles Neutralize Minnesota’s Dual Threat RB Dalvin Cook?

For the Eagles to win in Week 2 they must figure out a way to neutralize the Vikings best player, dual-threat RB Dalvin Cook (below), a talented veteran who can hurt you on the ground or through the air, not easy to stop but that’s what Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon must game plan.

On the job for Philadelphia’s defense are some veteran playmakers who could give Cook trouble, like DEs Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham and with inside help there is DTs Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave with support from LBs Kyzir White, TJ Edwards and Haason Reddick.

There is no telling who will matchup with Cook as a receiver but Eagles CBs Darius Slay and James Bradberry will most likely get the call, a group that must work together to eliminate Cook as the threat but that means giving other playmakers like WR Justin Jefferson single coverage.

Vikings Key Player: (RB) Dalvin Cook

The best player on the Vikings is arguably RB Dalvin Cook who has been running and catching the football in the NFL since he was drafted by the Minnesota front office in 2017, a second round pick that ended up being a total homerun as the Florida State alum continues to produce.

Cook has decent size – 5’ 10” and 210 pounds – and speed – he runs a 4.49 second 40-yard dash – but what makes him special is his ability to also catch the ball and elude tackles for yards after receptions, his QB Kirk Cousins always counting on him for last minute checkdowns.

Last week against the Packers, Cook rushed the ball 20 times for 90 yards while catching 3 passes for another 18 yards and though he didn’t score the man with almost 40 career TDs in five pro seasons is most likely going to visit the end zone plenty of times during the year.

Eagles Key Player: (WR) A.J. Brown

In WR A.J. Brown’s first three NFL seasons he has topped a thousand receiving yards twice and last year he might have done that as well had he played in more than 13 games, his missed action due to a chest injury he suffered in Week 11 that kept him out until late December.

That production was for the Tennessee Titans, and now Brown has been acquired by the Eagles via a trade for the 18th overall pick in the NFL Draft (Titans used that to select WR Treylon Burks from Arkansas) and he is already proving to be a solid target for QB Hurts.

Last week in the team’s win over the Detroit Lions, Brown and Hurts connected 10 times off 13 targets for 155 yards but no TDs, his longest a 54 yarder, a hot start to the 2022 season that has the Eagles ranked third in the league in total offense, a good sign that things are changing.

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