Week 2: Vikings at Eagles, According to Madden Simulation
Ted Schwerzler
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Following a Week 1 victory against the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings travel to Philadelphia, facing off against the Eagles in primetime on Monday Night Football. They come in as two-point underdogs. Here’s how EA Sports Madden 23 sees it playing out.
Nick Sirianni’s defense held the Vikings in check during the first quarter. Kirk Cousins and crew were kept off the scoreboard while Jalen Hurts orchestrated a long drive that led to a touchdown for the first points of the game. In the second quarter, the Vikings allowed just a pair of field goals while Minnesota got their first score. A touchdown to Irv Smith Jr. had the purple on the board. At halftime, this was a 13-7 ballgame.
It was in the second half that the Vikings and Adam Thielen went to work. Cousins found Thielen for two of his three touchdowns on the day in the third quarter. Giving up eight to the Eagles, things were knotted at 21 going into the final frame. Thielen recorded yet another touchdown late to overcome a field goal from the Eagles, and Minnesota walked away with a 28-24 victory.
The Vikings were actually outgained 4-5 to 362 by Philadelphia, but much of the Eagles advantage was chalked up to a 157 to 88 difference in the ground game. Miles Sanders put up 81 yards on 20 carries while the Vikings allowed another 65 yards on the ground from Jalen Hurts. Dalvin Cook toted the rock 18 times and got 65 yards of his own.
On the edge, it was Thielen stealing the show this week. His seven catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns were the difference. Justin Jefferson hauled in four catches for 55 yards. Za’Darius Smith generated Minnesota’s only sack on the day, Patrick Peterson picked off Hurts, and Eric Kendricks picked up a fumble he knocked loose.
The high point total in Week 2 came from a pair of top teams. Forty-two points were put up on Thursday night by the Kansas City Chiefs, and that total was replicated by the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night. A handful of teams managed just 17 points, but there was hardly a group that was held down this week.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Madden 23 has the 2022 Minnesota Vikings at 1-1. With a win in real life against the Eagles on Monday, Minnesota can improve to 2-0 on the season.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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