Time is right for an Eagles grind-it-out victory statement…

When they tell us the Minnesota Vikings defense is impenetrable, that’s when I have to chuckle with a bit of sarcasm and sardonic optimism for the Eagles’ chances on Sunday.

Who the heck is “impenetrable” after 5 games?

The Vikings are good so far but in a limited sample size. Yeah, their safety tandem is very good… perhaps the best in the conference… but it just takes one big play to wipe the slate clean.

It will take a lot more than a 5-game reputation to convince me and the Eagles that the Vikings are the second coming of the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Nothing I can write here will influence how the Eagles respond to the challenge this Sunday, but I feel the time is right for a rally.

Methinks the key is to grind it out conservatively in the early going, avoid stupid penalties and above all turnovers, and hang around in a close scoring game into the third quarter when Special Teams or a big play from the Eagles defense changes the momentum and gets Sammy Bradford and company off the script.

In other words, flip the script and get the home crowd into it, and the rest of the game should play right into the hands of a challenged Eagles offense.

After all, it is a “team game”…right?

Tim McManus broke up with Sheil Kapadia at PhillyMag.com, but then he landed with ESPN.com and covers the Eagles there. Here is an excerpt from Tim’s preview of the Vikings-Eagles showdown:

“The Philadelphia Eagles’ offense is coming off its worst showing of the year. Hurt by the absence of right tackle Lane Johnson, Carson Wentz completed just 50 percent of his throws, was hit 11 times and led his unit to just six points total last week at the Washington Redskins.”

“This group will have to rebound quickly with the Minnesota Vikings coming to town. The Vikings boast the league’s best defensive efficiency and are tops in points allowed (12.6) and sacks (3.8) per game.

“Here are six Vikings players to watch, courtesy of ESPN Vikings reporter Ben Goessling:

Offense:

QB Sam Bradford: His return to Philadelphia will be the big storyline of the week, and how Bradford fares against his former team will be a major key to whether the Vikings can leave Philadelphia with a 6-0 record. Bradford hasn’t turned the ball over in a league-high 249 snaps this season, according to ESPN Stats and Information, and he’s been able to ameliorate some of the Vikings’ protection issues with a quick release and a keen sense of where he wants to go with the ball before the snap. The Vikings have thrived with a quick passing game, with some of Bradford’s short throws coming off packaged plays, but the quarterback has also been able to effectively work downfield, as his deep strikes to Adam Thielen against Houston showed. He’ll need to be solid against an Eagles defense that’s been able to create plenty of pressure so far without a heavy dose of blitzes.

LT T.J. Clemmings: Despite a miserable day against the Texans in Week 5, Clemmings came back from the bye week as the first-string left tackle in the first practice of the week. With Jake Long on the roster, Clemmings will have to be better against Connor Barwin. He had a number of technique lapses against the Texans, like the play near his own end zone where he lunged at Whitney Mercilus, missing badly and exposing Bradford to an easy sack. He’s got the athleticism and the nastiness to play in the NFL, but he’s in his first games on the left side, and he’s only been an offensive tackle for four years.

RB Jerick McKinnon: Especially after the Eagles gave up 230 rushing yards to the Redskins, expect McKinnon to be involved in the Vikings’ game plan early and often. He’s only averaged 3.1 yards per carry, playing behind a suspect offensive line, but he ran for 85 yards on 18 carries against the Giants, and he’ll also be a target for Bradford on some of the quick passes he’ll likely use to beat the Eagles’ pass rush. McKinnon, a converted triple-option quarterback, has also been getting some work in a Wildcat package the past few weeks, lining up next to Cordarrelle Patterson.

Defense:

DE Brian Robison: With Lane Johnson suspended, Robison and Danielle Hunter could get plenty of opportunities to pressure Wentz coming off the right side of the Eagles’ line. Robison has enjoyed an impressive start to his 10^thseason in the league, posting four sacks in five games. He’ll slide inside to rush from a defensive tackle position as part of the Vikings’ nickel rush package, and coach Mike Zimmer isn’t shy about standing him up and dropping him back into coverage. A college linebacker who became a typical 4-3 rush end during his first years with the Vikings, Robison has a much broader role now, and he could find himself in the Eagles’ backfield on Sunday.

LB Eric Kendricks: He’s a big factor each week as part of Zimmer’s double-A gap blitz package, but Kendricks figures to play a significant role in pass coverage this week as the Eagles look for Darren Sproles on quick throws. Kendricks’ speed and instincts have helped the Vikings snuff out short passes this season (go back to the plays he made against Lamar Miller in Week 5, or his 77-yard interception return for a touchdown in Week 1), and he’ll be motivated to have a big day in his first game against his older brother, Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks.

S Harrison Smith: The Vikings can move their Pro Bowl safety all over the field, and as they try to confuse Wentz, they’ll likely put Smith in a variety of places, blitzing him off the edge, using him in bracket coverage against receivers or singling him up in coverage against Zach Ertz. He’s got the physicality to help against the run, and the range to get back in coverage after showing a blitz pre-snap. He’s also got a nose for the end zone, with four career interception returns for touchdowns, and he spent extra time catching balls from a JUGS machine on Monday after seething all week about his drop of an easy pick-six against the Texans.
*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
BRISUKSEGG Fantasy Football Update from Week 6: