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Vikings Playoff Game Prediction
By Viking Visionary | December 31, 2008
Vegas is putting the visiting Philadelphia Eagles as three-point favorites over your Minnesota Vikings this upcoming Sunday. Most of the major sports analysts are jumping on the Philly bandwagon, too, largely due to the ass whooping they put on the dysfunctional Cowboys and the shaky performance by Tarvaris Jackson against the Giants. I think that everyone’s attention span is just too narrow.
I think if you asked the know-it-alls after week 16 who would win the same match up, you would get far more answers that are favorable to the Purple. The Eagles were fresh off of a pathetic loss against the Redskins in which they only manage one measley field goal all game, while the Vikings had just lost a game to the Playoff bound Falcons that they statistically dominated in all areas except turnovers.
Turnovers, of course, will be one of the main key points to this Sunday’s game, and you have to give the edge to the Eagles there. They love to apply pressure by blitzing all game long until the quarterback cracks and throws a bad pick. The Vikings defense, although good, takes a more preventative approach and depends on the offense to take risks that lead to turnovers. That’s all fine and dandy if the Vikings are in the lead, but I think that the Vikings will need to be very aggressive on both defense and offense in order to get that lead. One trend I do like concerning the Eagles vaunted defense is that much of their success comes against their divisional rivals on the second occasion that they play them.
Eagles’ Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson seems to be adept at going to school on an offense’s game plan, especially after playing them once. This mostly has to do with knowing how an offense will try to counter the Eagles’ blitz packages and taking away the quarterback’s safety-valve route. Therefore, closed circuit to Brad Childress, the Vikings must devise some new anti-blitz plays and routes that the Eagles won’t be able to see on tape. T-Jack is not the ideal QB to have behind center when you know the pressure is going to be high, but he does have a few good things going for him:
- The Vikings can run the ball. The best antidote to a blitz-heavy defense is a run game that can take advantage of defense players being out of position. If the Vikings pound the ball well, the Eagles will be reluctant to blitz their linebackers, safeties, and even corners who are needed to hold AD in check.
- Jackson can run. If Jackson can keep his head and the backs can pick up blitzing players, Jackson will have opportunities to gouge the Eagles with a few QB sneaks.
- Berny Berrian can go deep. Mark my words - You will see the Vikings air it out deep at least twice, unless the Vikings are way out in front of the Eagles, which I don’t anticipate.
For the Vikings to win this game, I think they need to gain at least 150 yards running, and they need to limit Brian Westbrook to one touchdown. This will require both the offensive and defensive lines to play like men possessed, which is the kind of effort you would hope players put forth in the playoffs. The other thing the Vikings need, and which is in jeopardy, is tons of crowd noise. I still can’t believe that the first home playoff game since 2000 is not sold out, and that Vikings fans are giving Eagles fans the perfect opportunity to fly in and steal an important aspect of home field advantage.
Nonetheless, I think the Vikings shock the world and win this game, 23-16. Even if they do loose, I will consider this season a success, and hope that the young Vikings can learn from this valuable playoff experience.
Topics: Purple Predictions, Vikings |