Despite Early-Season Struggles, Vikings Are Focused On Eagles' Superstar

PHILADELPHIA - A shaky start to the regular season by Eagles' All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley isn't throwing well-regarded Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores off course when it comes to Mission No. 1 when facing the Philadelphia offense.

“They’re the defending champs,” Flores said earlier this week. “I’m not really looking at the numbers. Just the history and the talent that’s there. The explosiveness that’s there. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”

The Eagles (4-2) will arrive in Minneapolis for Sunday's game with the 30th-ranked offense in the NFL, and Barkley, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, a stark contrast to the 5.8 from last season when the superstar became 2KSA with 2,005 rushing yards.

Something has to give because the Vikings have struggled to stop the run, ranking 24th when it comes to halting the ground game. Minnesota is allowing 4.5 yards per carry and has given up 100-yard rushing days to Atlanta superstar Bijan Robinson and Cleveland rookie Quinshon Judkins. Former Barkley caddie and current Pittsburgh RB Kenny Gainwell had 99 yards against the Vikings.

Reinforcement

Some of those issues can be tied to the absence of middle linebacker Blake Cashman, who injured his hamstring in Week 1 and missed the previous four games for the Vikings. Minnesota started Cashman's 21-day practice window to return this week, and signs are that he will return against Philadelphia.

“He’s a big part of what we do defensively,” Flores said of Cashman. “From a communication standpoint, from just an athleticism, football acumen, keeping other guys in right positions, leadership. He does a great job.”

Despite the early-season difficulties for Barkley, Flores called him “the best back in the league and it's clear that stopping the Penn State product is item No. 1 on the innovative DC's checklist this week.

Without Cashman, the Vikings have been using former Eagles' LB Eric Wilson on the second level, along with former undrafted free agent Ivan Pace Jr. They also traded away veteran nose tackle Harrison Phillips to open up playing time for two talented younger defensive linemen in Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake-Rodriguez. However, those two are undersized and better pass rushers than run-support players.

“It’s not the flashy stuff,” Flores said when asked about the Vikings' run-stuffing issues. “There’s nothing flashy about it. It’s really the non-sexy things that we just need to do a better job of, be more consistent with.”

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