Vikings-Eagles

The last time the Minnesota Vikings played the Philadelphia Eagles they were taken apart 38-7 in last year's NFC Championship game. New season. Different result. The Vikings held on and defeated the Eagles 23-20 yesterday.

In a twist that might interest only me, neither quarterback that led their team into last January's big game led their team into yesterday's smaller game. It was Case Keenum and Nick Foles last year. It was Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz yesterday.

This Vikings won. It was an anxious win that wasn't assured until receiver Adam Thielen recovered an Eagles onside kick attempt with just over a minute to play. It really shouldn't have been so anxious as this was a game that the Vikings coulda/shoulda won by three scores. It was 17-3 at the half but it easily could've been 28-3. Three trips into the Eagles red zone yielded only 10 points. There were two missed field goals. A 91-yard drive in the third quarter reached the Eagles two-yard line. The Vikings had to settle for a field goal. The offense did enough between the goal lines to score as many as five touchdowns. The fact that they didn't cross the goal line as many as five times is a problem that needs to be fixed. But, a win in Philadelphia is all that really matters. Entering the game at 1-2-1, the Vikings needed this win. A win against the defending Super Bowl champs is a big step in the right direction.

The Vikings first touchdown was a defensive touchdown and it was a beauty. It's always a beauty when you get to see a big guy like nose tackle Linval Joseph rumble 64 yards. This defensive score was especially beautiful as all four defensive linemen played critical roles in making it happen. Defensive ends Stephen Weatherly and Danielle Hunter met at Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. Weatherly was credited with the sack but the combination of the two popped the ball in the air. Joseph caught it and was off to the races. The only Eagles player that appeared to have a shot at Joseph was offensive tackle Lane Johnson. Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson picked him off with a nice block. Linval Joseph got the score and the attention but it was a beautiful team effort by the defensive line.

After a couple games of shaky, at time times terrible, play it was good to see the Vikings defense return. The Eagles offense was pretty much stifled in the first half. The pass rush was effective. In the second half the pass rush was less effective unless the Vikings sent extra rushers. As a result the Eagles often moved the ball at will in the second half. This is a good offense and it's tough to keep a good offense stifled for four quarters. The Vikings defense did hold on a critical sequence with about 10 minutes to play. The Vikings offense fumbled on their own 30-yard line and the Eagles defense recovered. With the Vikings leading 20-14, the game was up for grabs and the Eagles had an excellent opportunity to take the lead. The Vikings defense forced the Eagles to punt. Other than Joseph's touchdown rumble this sequence was the best of the game for the defense.

Eagles fans and talking heads lost their collective minds over the penalty called on Eagles defensive lineman Michael Bennett for a low hit on Cousins. Bennett hit Cousins low. That's a penalty. It might be a sad penalty designed to further cushion the life of an NFL quarterback but it's still a penalty. There was a time when it was only called on hits to the knee and below but the threshold has been raised to include hits below the waist. Bennett hit Cousins in the thigh and slid down his leg. That's a penalty. Eagles fan would applaud a penalty called on a hit like that if it was on Wentz.

Some Vikings concerns:
Offensive line
Kirk Cousins was sacked once and hit ten times. He was pressured often. Left tackle Riley Reiff left with an injury in the first half. That didn't help but the offensive line woes were there when he was on the field. A realistic goal for the line is to hit average play in the games ahead. They haven't reached that level through five games.

Running game
This falls under the offensive line concerns but it's also a concern all it's own. The running game has been terrible. So terrible, that it makes the effectiveness of the passing game even more remarkable. The Vikings ran a little better against the Eagles. 77 yards on 23 attempts for a 3.3 average per carry. That's not good but there were a handful of nice runs. Latavius Murray had a couple of those nice runs on the 11-play, 55-yard final drive that ate up 6:24 of the fourth quarter. The drive ended with a 52-yard Dan Bailey field goal that pushed the score to 23-14. Despite the meager totals this was the first game of the year in which the running game played a role. Granted, it was a minor role. There is hope. The Vikings need to get Dalvin Cook healthy. He was a fine cheerleader yesterday but he's needed on the field. If the running game can effectively compliment the passing game the Vikings offense will be tough to stop.

Kicking
Dan Bailey missed two field goals. Making that big 52-yarder late in the game eases some of the kicking concerns but not all of them. Bailey did kick three field goals but three for five isn't good. The Vikings aren't blowing out opponents. Unless they start blowing out opponents, they'll need every point that they can get. They can't afford missed field goals.

Some numbers:
Quarterbacks:
Kirk Cousins: 30/37, 301 yards, 1 touchdown, 109.6 rating

Carson Wentz: 24/35, 311 yards, 2 touchdowns, 115.3 rating

With each game, Cousins justifies the Vikings huge financial investment in him. He's been great and he's been great without a hint of a running game.

With each game, Wentz gets closer to the MVP candidate that he was last season before his ACL injury.

More Cousins. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 30 or more passes in four consecutive games.

Vikings receivers:
Adam Thielen: 7 catches, 116 yards, 1 touchdown
Stefon Diggs: 10 catches, 91 yards
Diggs also had 25 yards on two carries.
Thielen also recovered the onside kick that secured the win.

Thielen is the first player since 1961 to start a season with five consecutive 100-yard games.

Thielen and Diggs are ripping up NFL secondaries.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter had a sack of Wentz. At 24 years, he's the youngest player in NFL history to hit 30 sacks.

The Vikings won a big game on what would've been Tony Sparano's 57th birthday. RIP Coach.

The Vikings host the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday. Hopefully Dalvin Cook can return and jump start the running game.

Some thoughts from other games.

With the Arizona Cardinals 28-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers there are now no winless teams in the NFL.

There are still two teams with no losses. The Kansas City Chiefs breezed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-14. It wasn't that close. The Los Angeles Rams had a tough time against the Seattle Seahawks but held on for a 33-31 win.

This from ESPN's Kevin Seifert:

"Every time I've watched the Chiefs this season, I've seen a play design that I've never seen before. So fun."

Exactly. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been fantastic in his second year in the league, first year starting. Beyond fantastic. Head coach Andy Reid has made it pretty easy for his young quarterback. The vast majority of Mahomes' throws are to wide open receivers and he doesn't have to look for them. They are right in front of him. That's play design.

Carolina Panthers kicker Graham Gano hit a 63-yard field goal as time expired to nudge his team past the New York Giants. Panthers won 33-31. Gano's kick was a yard short of Matt Prater's NFL record. Prater's kick and two of the five 63-yarders in the league history have been booted at altitude in Denver. Gano hit his in the New Jersey air. Tom Dempsey hit the first 63-yarder at Tulane Stadium. David Akers hit a 63-yarder at Lambeau. Gano's and Dempsey's were game-winners. All of this is a long-winded way of saying that Gano's bomb was one of the best kick's in NFL history. I suppose that simply saying that Graham Gano kicked a 63-yard, game-winning field goal would've been enough.

There have been so many overtime games through five weeks.

The New Orleans Saints host the Washington Redskins tonight to wrap up Week 5. Here's to a good game. The potential is there.