Vikes Eagles Preview

Happy New Year, Everyone. Well, Happy New Year's Eve, any way. I'm doing the Eagles-Vikings game breakdown a little early in the week, but tomorrow I will be in no condition to do anything other than bitch about my headache and the Big 10 bowl season, so tomorrow is out. Friday, I have to work all day, so that's out. Saturday I owe to my wife, so no deal there. Sunday is gameday, so that doesn't do anyone a lot of good. So, enjoy:

The Philadelphia Eagles come to the yet-to-be-soldout Metrodome Sunday afternoon labeled the "hottest team in the NFL." That statement pisses me off right there, because it's factually incorrect. They have gone a blistering 4-3-1 over the second half of the season, which means if you're an East Coast, media preferred team, you're on a roll. The Vikings, the team that no one is really giving any credit to, has gone 6-2. Philly's four wins have come against the Giants (impressive), Cardinals (division winner), Browns, and an utterly incompetent Cowboys team that has more problems than Britney Spears. They managed to tie the Cincinnati Bengals, who have been charged by federal prosecutors for impersonating a professional football team, and lost to the Giants, Ravens, and a mediocre Redskins team that really had nothing to play for, while the Eagles had everything to play for.

The Vikings, on the other hand, have had impressive victories over the Giants and Cardinals, beat the teams they were supposed to beat in the Jaguars, Lions, Packers, and Bears, but couldn't get out of their own way against the Falcons and Buccaneers.

So stop with the "Eagles are the hottest team in the NFL" talk. Right now. One win over a team that's more dysfunctional than the "Arrested Development" family does not qualify you for that moniker. Oh, wait. It was against the Cowboys, the media darlings. Never mind.

When the Eagles have the ball: Quite simply, the Vikings must stop Brian Westbrook. Account for him on every play, and don't let him get in the open field. One thing that the Vikings have done exceptionally well this year has been open field tackling. There haven't been a lot of big yardage plays by opponents due to poor tackling, and that must contnue Sunday. Lateral pursuit and good gap resonsibility have resulted in a fundamentally solid defense, and one that doesn't beat itself. Westbrook will get many opportunities, but LB's Chad Greenway and Ben Leber must lead the swarm to the ball, contain, and tackle. Donovan McNabb has had a resurgence this year, and DeSean Jackson has emerged has his top wide receiver threat. He only has two touchdowns, but he averages almost 15 yards per catch. Sean Andrews, Todd Herremans, and Jamaal Jackson will have to deal with the interior line of Kevin and Pat Williams, but I think the key matchup on the line is the battle between DE Jared Allen and T Tra Thomas. McNabb looked terrible in a loss at Baltimore, and he looked terrible because he was under constant pressure. The Vikings defensive line has been able to take over a game at points during the season, and if they can apply heat without a lot of blitz packages from the linebackers and secondary, the Eagles could be in for a long day.

When the Vikings have the ball: It could be a tough day for the Viking offense. Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will have an elaborate gameplan ready for the young Tarvaris Jackson, and he must be ready. Needless to say, Adrian Peterson will be instrumental in taking the heat off of Jackson, both literally and figuratively. Philadelphia will stack the box, and if Peterson gets it going early, it will help take the pressure off Jackson. When the Eagles do blitz, blitz responsibility will be key for the Vikings. If Peterson and Chester Taylor can pick up the extra man, Jackson will have enough time to find Visanthe Shiancoe, and he could have a huge day. If they leave man coverage on the outside, Bernard Berrian has the speed to beat anyone deep, although the Eagles secondary has Asante Samual and Brian Dawkins, both Pro Bowlers, ready to gobble up any Tarvaris Jackson mistakes. And when pressured he does make mistakes. The key matchup will be Shiancoe against the Eagles linebackers, and wide receiver Bobby Wade against Sheldon Brown. I think the Eagles defense is the classic whole-is-greater-than-the-parts defense. Other than maybe Brian Dawkins and Asante Samuel, no one really stands out, but they complement each other very well and run a scheme that is very disruptive.

Fearless Prediction: This will be a close, low scoring game, and the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. I expect Tarvaris Jackson to come out skittish and make an early mistake that will lead to a Philadelphia touchdown, but the Vikings will hang around until the 4th quarter. In the fourth, I think Philly returns the turnover favor and the Vikes kick a late field goal to win. Vikes 17, Eagles 16.

And 65% of Vikings fans will still want Brad Childress fired.