Vikings vs. Eagles Preview: Three Keys to Victory

Week 6 is upon us, and with it comes a game that may well represent a turning point for the Vikings' 2019 season.

According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Vikings' playoff odds swing by 26 percent based on the outcome of this game against the Eagles, which is tied for the biggest swing of any team this week.

Meant to post this earlier in the week. Playoff leverage going into week 6 pic.twitter.com/2CmdlX6HYy
— Brian Burke (@bburkeESPN) October 12, 2019

Win, and the Vikings move to 4-2 and gain confidence that they can beat good teams in the NFC. Lose, and they're back to .500 with three of their next four games coming against quality opponents (Lions, Chiefs and Cowboys) on the road.

A recap of the preview content from VikingMaven this week:

Stefon Diggs addressed last week's drama (with video).

The Vikings offense faces a litmus test against an elite Eagles defense.

Longtime Vikings tormentors Alshon Jeffery and Jordan Howard return to Minnesota.

The full injury report.

Predictions from experts around the league, and yours truly.

Finally, here are three keys to victory for the Vikings.

1. Give Cousins time

The biggest weakness of the Eagles defense is their secondary, especially their cornerbacks. Starters Ronald Darby and Avante Maddox are injured, leaving some combination of Rasul Douglas, Sidney Jones, Craig James and slot corner Orlando Scandrick. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen (and to a lesser extent, Olabisi Johnson) should have little trouble getting open against man coverage.

The strength of the Eagles defense might prevent Cousins from being able to deliver the ball to his wideouts. It's their defensive line, led by interior menace Fletcher Cox and excellent edge rushers Derek Barnett and Brandon Graham. The Vikings offensive line, down starting guard Josh Kline, needs to battle to protect Cousins and give him time to go through his progressions and find the open man.

2. Win the third down battle

In what figures to be a tightly contested game between two physical teams, third downs will be crucial. The Eagles offense is the best in the league at converting on third down, behind the smart play and mobility of Carson Wentz. However, Mike Zimmer and the Vikings defense are known for being one of the best units at getting off the field on third down. Getting pressure on Wentz – both with four-man rushes and creative blitzes – while keeping Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery covered will be crucial. Last year, a big reason why the Vikings beat the Eagles was that they held them to 2 of 9 on third down.

On the other side of the ball, Cousins needs to be effective on third down. He'll likely be under pressure, so making smart reads and getting the ball out of his hands quickly will be important.

3. Start fast

If either team is leading by a touchdown or more at halftime, they would figure to have a great chance at winning the game. Both of these defenses are well-suited to play with the lead, and neither offense is built to come back. We've seen it so far in every game for the Vikings: start fast and win, or start slow and lose. Getting an early lead and ratcheting the crowd noise up to absurd levels would go a long way for the Vikings.

I posted it in the predictions story, but I'll give it again. Here's my pick:

Eagles 16, Vikings 13

I think it helps that the Vikings are at home, and that the Eagles are missing a number of key contributors. But I just can't pick Cousins winning a big game until I see it happen. I think the Vikings O-line – especially without Josh Kline – is significantly outmatched by Fletcher Cox and the Eagles' D-line, which will make life very difficult for Cousins and Dalvin Cook. The Eagles win a defensive battle.