The Eagles are coming off a season opener in which they picked up 27 first downs and logged 455 yards, but they’re the underdogs in some circles, thanks to a shoddy defensive effort.
Monday night football on ESPN offers a matchup of two undefeated teams and two explosive offenses for Week 2, with plenty of intriguing storylines.
The Minnesota defense was outstanding last week against the Packers.
Still, they’ll be facing a Philadelphia offense looking to push the downfield in the passing game while relying on a punishing rushing attack if things fall apart.
With kickoff quickly approaching, the experts have made their picks.
NFL.com -- Eagles
NFL.com is rolling with Philadelphia.
The Eagles’ defense was less than the sum of its parts in Detroit, which could be a problem against a Vikings offense that isn’t just running Sean McVay’s old playbook. Kevin O’Connell did a great job blending schemes he’s worked in and finding ways to get Justin Jefferson open against the Packers. Minnesota’s defensive line faces a much tougher test here; Jalen Hurts’ ability to create when pressured could be the difference. Hurts is set to have one of the best rushing seasons by a quarterback in NFL history.
USA Today -- Vikings
Four of USA Today’s seven analyst are rolling with Minnesota.
CBS Sports -- Vikings
CBS Sports is rolling with the road team.
I was so impressed with the Vikings in Week 1 that I’ve already decided that I won’t be picking against them for the rest of the month, so obviously, that means I have to take them here. Also, I can’t pick the Eagles because this is Week 2 and they burn me every year in Week 2. I’m not even kidding. The Eagles are somehow 0-5 both straight up and against the spread in Week 2 over the past five years. Maybe they should start asking to get their bye in Week 2.
ESPN -- Eagles
The bulk of ESPN’s analyst is rolling with Philadelphia.
NYT -- Vikings
The New York Times is rolling with Minnesota.
Minnesota’s former coach, Mike Zimmer, had a style that was run-first, defensive-minded, smash-mouth football. Now, with Kevin O’Connell at the helm, we get to see what this team can do when they look to receiver Justin Jefferson as the offense’s first option. Last week, Kirk Cousins threw for 277 yards without an interception and connected with Jefferson nine times for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
The Eagles, on the other hand, barely survived against the Lions. Jalen Hurts doesn’t look bad, but can the Eagles (1-0) defense that allowed 35 points from Detroit handle this new Minnesota offense?
Sporting News -- Vikings
The Sporting News is rolling with the Vikings on Monday night.
This is a legit Monday Night Football matchup between two teams trying to shake up the NFC playoff picture. Justin Jefferson (184 yards) and A.J. Brown (155 yards) had the best receiving outputs in Week 1. Ultimately, the Vikings pass rush will irritate Jalen Hurts enough to force a few turnovers, and Kirk Cousins continues to thrive in first-year coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Pro Football Talk -- Eagles
Mike Florio is rolling with Philadelphia.
The Vikings are improved, but beating Philly in their home opener is too much to expect this early in the season.
The Ringer -- Vikings
The Ringer is rolling with Minnesota.
The Vikings looked like one of the NFL’s best-coached teams in Kevin O’Connell’s debut. They schemed up explosive plays for wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and their defensive performance was encouraging. If last week was any indication, the Vikings defense will play a lot of zone and mix up their fronts to make life hard for opposing quarterbacks.
The Inquirer -- Eagles
Two of their three writers are picking the Eagles.
