Eagles vs. Vikings is an ugly brawl in the making…

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This is gonna be a donnybrook kind of game, and you simply have to bank on the physicality of the contest being so intense that not even the zebras can affect the outcome…

Defensive tackle Bennie Logan did not practice all week due to a groin injury, and is officially questionable for Sunday’s game against Minnesota. Logan is one of four players who is questionable along with cornerback Ron Brooks (calf), linebackerMychal Kendricks (ribs) and cornerback Leodis McKelvin (hamstring).

If Logan is unable to go, defensive tackle Beau Allen will start in his place. Brooks would be replaced on the outside by rookie Jalen Mills, and in the slot by safety Malcolm Jenkins. In that scenario,Jaylen Watkins plays safety. It should be noted, however, that Brooks was a full participant in Friday’s practice.

Center Jason Kelce (foot) and defensive end Marcus Smith (groin) did not practice earlier in the week, but will be available on Sunday.

Coming off the bye week, the Vikings ruled out defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (knee) and tight end MyCole Pruitt (knee/ankle). Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who missed the Week 5 win over Houston due to a groin injury, practiced fully on Friday and is questionable. First-round pick wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (thumb) is also questionable.

Howard Cosell’s nephew Greg Cosell gives us some much-needed perspective on the matchups:

Vikings On Offense:

1. What quarterback Sam Bradford has done very effectively is play tough and strong in the pocket. Another great example was the 10-yard completion to wide receiver Jarius Wright on the team’s third possession against Houston. The Texans had a great blitz-stunt concept out of the dime package with linebacker Whitney Mercilus coming clean up the middle. Bradford made a big-time throw with precise ball placement to Wright on the shallow cross as part of a mesh concept.

2. Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner continued to feature some Wildcat snaps with both Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata. Turner also features wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in multiple ways including the backfield.

3. T.J. Clemmings is still struggling at left tackle, especially in pass protection for the Vikings. Bradford and Turner has been able to compensate for the deficiencies at the tackle position.

4. With Bradford, the Vikings’ offense is very methodical and efficient. Bradford is an accurate short-to-intermediate passer with excellent accuracy. He’s a sustaining passer.

5. The Week 4 win over the Giants was another efficient performance by Bradford and the Vikings’ offense. Minnesota has not committed a turnover on offense in any of its five games this season. Bradford has completed over 70 percent of his passes in his four starts.

Vikings On Defense:

1. The Vikings are foundationally a two-shell coverage defense, but in the Week 5 win over the Houston Texans they played more single high and more man coverage.

2. The Vikings’ predominant zone coverage concepts are: quarters, quarter-quarter-half and Cover 3. At times, there will be man elements as part of the zone concepts, like Cover 3 boundary lock and quarters boundary lock.

3. Harrison Smith is the movement safety for the Vikings. He’s the box player in Cover 3 and the blitzer out of their double mug fronts and zone blitz concepts.

4. Minnesota mixes a lot of zone and man principles within its coverages, especially out of two-shell looks.

5. The Vikings are more of a coverage-based defense than a pressure-based defense. Their double mug fronts present pressure concerns, but they are not a highly schemed blitz defense.

Eagles vs. Vikings is an ugly brawl in the making...

Here’s Chris McPherson’s take, he of PE.com‘s vantage point:

When The Eagles Have The Ball—

The Eagles were not able to get into a rhythm against the Washington Redskins last Sunday on offense and this week presents their toughest test of the season.

Minnesota enters Week 7 ranked first in scoring defense (12.6 points per game), second in yards allowed (287.6), fourth against the run, sixth against the pass, tied for third in sacks (19) and tied for second in takeaways (12).

This unit has been problematic for some of the league’s best players.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was held to a 47.6 passer rating, the fourth lowest of his career. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a 70.7 rating, the lowest in 17 career games against Minnesota. Giants receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. gained a career-low 23 yards in their meeting.

Whew.

The Vikings are talented at every level of the defense, as all 11 starters return from a team that ranked fifth in points allowed last season.

Defensive end Everson Griffen earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following the October 3 win over Carolina when he tied a career high with three sacks. Since 2014, Griffen is fifth in the league in sacks. It will be a heavyweight showdown with Griffen squaring off against left tackle Jason Peters. In addition to Griffen, Brian Robison is tied for the team lead with four sacks and reserve end Danielle Hunter became just the second player in franchise history to score on a fumble return and post a safety in the same season. Up the middle, defensive tackle Tom Johnson has two sacks and a team-high 31 quarterback hurries.

The pressure up front is one big reason why the Vikings lead the league in both opposing passer rating (65.3) and completion percentage (55.5).

Eagles fans will recognize the name on the back of the man in the middle of the Vikings’ defense. Eric Kendricks, Mychal’s brother, is second on the team with 37 tackles and first in pass deflections with seven. In 2015, Kendricks was the first rookie to lead the team in tackles since 1961. He started off 2016 with a 77-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Week 1 win over Tennessee.

Kendricks is flanked by former first-round pick Anthony Barr on the strong side and longtime Viking Chad Greenway on the weak side. Greenway is the trusted veteran with a career 1,297 tackles, good for fourth in franchise history.

There is no drop-off on the back end of the defense. The Vikings have allowed just four passing touchdowns this season. Former first-round pick Xavier Rhodes offers tremendous size and length (6-2, 210 pounds) and was the main reason for Beckham’s performance a few weeks back. Cornerback Terence Newman is in his 15th NFL season and ranks second among active players with 41 interceptions. 2015 first-round pick cornerback Trae Waynes leads the team with two interceptions. The best player, however, is safety Harrison Smith. He holds the franchise record for interceptions returned for a touchdowns with four, and ranks fourth in sacks by a defensive back.

Quarterback Carson Wentz and company will have their hands full this Sunday against the Vikings.

Eagles vs. Vikings is an ugly brawl in the making...

Key Matchups according to Chris McPherson:

1. S Malcolm Jenkins vs. TE Kyle Rudolph – Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph is the most-targeted player in the pass game for the Minnesota Vikings. He is the security blanket for quarterback Sam Bradford. Against Carolina in Week 3, Rudolph had seven catches on 10 targets for 70 yards and a touchdown. With wide receiver Stefon Diggs battling a groin injury, Rudolph’s role is that much more important.

2. RB Darren Sproles vs. LB Anthony Barr – This is a game where the Eagles need a big play from the Pro Bowl return specialist, but in the pass game. In the Eagles’ last home game against Pittsburgh, Sproles had six catches for 128 yards including the 73-yard touchdown which put the game well out of reach. Barr, a former first-round pick, is an outstanding player, but has been targeted 17 times in the air and has allowed 14 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.

3. DT Fletcher Cox vs. G Brandon Fusco – The Eagles’ most dominant defensive player was held without a tackle in the loss to Washington. Do you know the last time that happened? His rookie year of 2012. Injuries have impacted the Vikings’ offensive line as center Joe Berger is the only Week 1 starter who has not missed time due to injury. Fusco suffered a concussion early in the Week 5 win over Houston and is on track to return Sunday. This matchup is even more important with Bennie Logan likely out.

4. T Halapoulivaati Vaitai vs. DE Brian Robison – Quarterback Carson Wentz was sacked five times in last week’s loss to Washington. Not all of them were on the rookie right tackle who made his NFL debut, but the Vikings’ defensive line leads all defensive line units with 17 sacks. The left defensive end, Brian Robison, is a high-motor, relentless player who is tied for the team lead with four sacks. If the Eagles have to commit extra resources, it will offer Wentz fewer options in the pass game.

Trends To Watch:

28.2 – Two of the top defenses in the NFL go head to head on Sunday. Minnesota leads the league with an average of 12.6 points allowed per game, while the Eagles are tied for third at 15.6 points allowed per game. Defense looks to be the name of the game for Sunday afternoon.

2.5 – Minnesota ranks last in the league in every major rushing category. The Vikings average just 2.5 yards per carry and have a grand total of just 144 rushing yards on the season.

31:36 – Ball control will play a big factor in Sunday’s game. The Vikings are sixth in the NFL in terms of average time of possession at 31:36. The Eagles are tied for the league lead at 33:09 in average time of possession.

17 – The Eagles and Vikings are the only two teams in football with fewer than two turnovers. Minnesota has turned the ball over just once all season and has yet to throw an interception. The Eagles and Vikings have a combined turnover differential of 17.

Let the beatings begin!!

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