Published Oct 16, 10:36am ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Oct 16, 10:36am ET
Grok AI
Updated Oct 16, 10:43am ET
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| Minnesota Vikings | +1 (+100) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | -1 (-120) |
The Eagles have had blatant issues from Week 1. But they managed to squeak by the Cowboys, Chiefs, Rams, and Buccaneers to start the season at 4-0. In their past two games, however, those challenges came to the forefront in upset losses to the Broncos and Giants.
In their last five quarters of play, they have been dominated.
Luckily for them, the NFC East is mediocre; they might rise to the top by attrition.
Their Thursday Night Football loss to the Giants neatly summed up their issues.
AJ Dillon with a massive fumble 😳 Giants scoop it and gain momentum late in the 4th! 🔥 #Eagles #Giants #NFL pic.twitter.com/KoUHji5TNW
— Aggregate Sports (@AggregateSports) October 10, 2025
Quarterback Jalen Hurts is most effective when he's managing the game, not turning the ball over, and powering his way forward -- much like the "tush push" -- that he's become famous for.
Their rushing attack has been poor, with star running back Saquon Barkley a shadow of what he was in 2024. He has yet to rush for 100 yards this season. His longest individual rush is for a meager 18 yards.
They mustered little pass rush against Giants' rookie QB Jaxson Dart and couldn't stop rookie running back Cam Skattebo.
Philly has been getting by on reputation and luck, exemplified by the Rams' inexplicable gaffe by allowing Eagles' DT Jordan Davis an unimpeded path through the line. Davis blocked Joshua Karty's game-winning field goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown.
Philly is near the bottom of the league in passing yards per game, but that's by design, as they do not want Hurts to need to win games for them. But they're 25th in the league in rushing yards per game, an unexpected development after Barkley's tour-de-force season in their 2024 Super Bowl run.
On defense, they are vulnerable to the rush and middle of the pack against the pass. One tiny mistake can cost them games, and it has in the past two weeks.
The Eagles selected Vikings QB Carson Wentz 2nd overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. In his sophomore season as their starter, the team was 11-2, and he was on his way to winning the league MVP. But he blew out his knee. Nick Foles replaced him, and Philly won the Super Bowl.
His next several years were a struggle. The Eagles moved on from him. He's become a journeyman, bouncing from the Colts to the Commanders to the Rams to the Chiefs and now the Vikings.
He was signed as a safety net for young QB J.J. McCarthy. But since McCarthy has been out with a high ankle sprain, Minnesota has looked far more competent offensively with Wentz under center.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell strongly implies that McCarthy will regain the starting job when he's healthy.
Whether that's true or not and how the locker room will respond is an open question.
The team has gone all in on McCarthy. He was shaky in his two starts before getting hurt, and Sam Darnold, their 2024 Pro Bowl QB who they let walk, is having another fine year with the Seahawks.
The offense has been far more efficient with the veteran Wentz. If they beat the Eagles without McCarthy and Wentz plays well, a full-blown QB controversy will be in effect.
Wentz led a game-winning drive against the Browns to bring the Vikings to 3-2, in the middle of the playoff race.
CARSON WENTZ 12 YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS TO JORDAN ADDISON #skol
— SuperHawkeyeFan (@superhawkeyefan) October 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/Xa9cr4MgB0
Minnesota needs to decide if they're willing to accept a bridge year or if they want to try and win in a wide-open NFC.
If it's the former, then start McCarthy when he's healthy. If it's the latter, they need to stick with Wentz.
Philly is 2nd in the league in defensive yards per game through the air. It is vulnerable to the rush, ranked 24th. On offense, they are 19th in passing yards and 21st in rushing yards, but McCarthy threw for 301 yards total in two games and had a passer rating of 67.2.
But for one quarter in Week 1 against the Bears, he's been objectively terrible. Wentz has been very good.
They're better with Wentz.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Quinyon Mitchell, PHI | INJURED |
| Landon Dickerson, PHI | INJURED |
| JJ McCarthy, MIN | INJURED |
| Andrew Van Ginkel, MIN | INJURED |
For Week 7 Vikings-Eagles, both teams have lingering questions looming over them.
Minnesota faces a pending QB controversy with McCarthy's return on the horizon and the offense objectively superior with the veteran Wentz under center. If they beat the Eagles with Wentz, it will be difficult to put McCarthy back in, but when listening to O'Connell, it sounds as if that's the plan.
Philly has been shaky. They must run the ball, and Minnesota has been vulnerable to the rush. Their defense is even more compromised if Andrew Van Ginkel, dealing with a neck injury, is out or on a snap count.
This will be a tight game with the Vikings coming out on top.
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Pick
Minnesota Vikings +1
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