Is History Repeating Itself for Vikings?
Janik Eckardt
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Is History Repeating Itself for Vikings?
The Vikings are considered underdogs to make it to the Super Bowl, as most think their one-possession wins are unsustainable. In addition, the purple team got blown out by the two best teams they have faced in the NFC, the Cowboys and the Eagles.
The Eagles beat the Vikings in Week 2 with a convincing 24-7 win. The game was a lot more lopsided than the result showed. When Minnesota faced the Cowboys in Week 11, a 40-3 loss confirmed what many people in the media already thought about the Vikings — it is a flawed team and can’t beat any good teams.
However, the Vikings clinched the NFC North on Saturday and will host a playoff game in January, most likely against the Commanders, Giants, or Lions, followed by a potentially tough matchup against the 49ers. Even if the Vikings could win two playoff games, at some point, the route has to go through Philadelphia, as they are the number one seed and have the conference almost locked up.
Is History Repeating Itself for Vikings?
The Vikings had to go the same way in 2017 when they were the number 2 seed, just like in 2022, and faced the Eagles in their stadium. Philadelphia is always a hard place to play because Lincoln Financial Field can be considered the most hostile environment in the league.
Of course, the Vikings got blown out by the eventual Super Bowl champions with a 38-7 debacle. The game came just one week after the Minneapolis Miracle. The quarterback who took apart the elite Vikings defense, built by Mike Zimmer, was Nick Foles, a backup that came in for injured Carson Wentz, who tore his ACL at the end of the regular season.
Now, that story could repeat itself. Jalen Hurts hurt his shoulder in Sunday’s game against the Bears. There are some conflicting rumors. At first, the fear was that the MVP candidate broke his collarbone and would be out for at least the regular season.
However, the most prominent gurus in the news-breaking business reported roughly 20 minutes later that Hurts had suffered a sprained shoulder. That injury is a different deal and not considered nearly as severe.
While he may be out in the much anticipated divisional showdown against the Cowboys, he is reportedly ready for the first playoff game in about four weeks. As long as he’s out, backup Gardner Minshew will be the starter. Minshew came into the league in 2019 and took over the starting job in Jacksonville after Nick Foles went down with an injury.
He recorded 21 touchdowns and only six interceptions as a rookie, and his record was 6-6. Minshew played half of his second season before he got hurt. The 1-15 Jaguars then proceeded to draft Trevor Lawrence first overall in the subsequent draft and traded Minshew to Philadelphia. He is undoubtedly one of the best backups in the league, and a strong all-around team like the Eagles can make noise with him on the field.
It would still be a blow for the Eagles to be without Hurts for an extended period. The offense is built around Hurts’ ability to scramble and make plays with his legs. Opponents must sell out to stop the run and leave receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith in single coverage. That combination is almost impossible to stop, and defenses must take a “pick-your-poison” approach. He has been one of the top quarterbacks in the league in 2022.
Too, Hurts could be without any game reps for a month. Most quarterbacks need to be in rhythm to play their best football. Hurts has thrown for 22 touchdowns and added 13 on the ground. He has also taken care of the football and only thrown five picks.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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