Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles

The first “Thursday Night Football” game on Prime is on tap for this week between two division winners from a season ago. The Philadelphia Eagles will open their home schedule with a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

These teams had opposite experiences in Week 1 of the NFL season. The Eagles grabbed the win on the road against the New England Patriots, 25-20. Jalen Hurts completed 22 pass attempts for 170 yards and one touchdown, while A.J. Brown added 79 receiving yards of his own. An early pick-six from the Philly defense helped set the Eagles up with an early advantage that they held until the clock hit 0:00. It is worth noting that New England had more total yards in the game. Nonetheless, Philly looked like the team that played in the big game last season and is off to a 1-0 start.

The same cannot be said for the Minnesota Vikings, who lost outright to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite being a six-point favorite. Kirk Cousins threw for 344 yards on the day, 150 of which were to Justin Jefferson. That said, three total turnovers ultimately cost Minnesota the game, as the Vikings are winless heading into TNF against Philly. Jefferson was notably frustrated on the sideline during the game. Now, we get to see if Minnesota can bounce back in primetime, which is easier said than done going up against the defending NFC champions.

Let’s take a look at this matchup from a betting perspective…

Philadelphia -6.0 (-110)

What to like about this line…

• The Eagles are 13-9-1 at home with Jalen Hurts running the show, including a run of 10 wins in 11 games dating back to 2021. In other words, Philly is a tough team to beat on its own turf. This is the home opener for a team with arguably the rowdiest fan base in the NFL paired with Super Bowl aspirations. The Eagles have one of the best home-field advantages in the league and should have momentum from the crowd heading into this game with both teams on a short week.

• While the Eagles lost plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball, they are still stacked on offense with Hurts under center. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are sharp at wide receiver, and Dallas Goedert is a solid option at tight end. Philly also has plenty of options in the backfield with Kenneth Gainwell, D’Andre Swift and Boston Scott. The Eagles have all the pieces in place to be a dominant offensive unit, and play at a similar level as last season, where they led the league in total points per game on average at 34.7.

What not to like about this line…

• Kirk Cousins in primetime can be unpredictable. The Vikings are 7-9 straight up and 8-8 against the spread (ATS) in regular season primetime matchups with Kirk Cousins under center. Cousins was even worse in primetime before joining the Vikings, where he posted a 4-7 record ATS with Washington. Furthermore, the Eagles and Vikings clashed early in the regular season last year, with Philly pulling out a 24-7 victory.

• The Philly defense welcomed a handful of new starters this season and some new coaches on that side of the ball. While they got the win in Week 1, their defense did not look very impressive, and few names may not be able to go for this one, such as starting cornerback James Bradberry and safety Reed Blankenship. This could open up some opportunities for the pass-happy Vikings. While the Vikings lost last week, they were the better team. The three turnovers crushed them in the end, but they outgained the Bucs 369-242, and had more first downs and better third-down efficiency.

Over/Under 49.0 (-110)

What to like about the over…

• The Vikings have cashed the over in 14 of their last 21 games. While they lost Dalvin Cook in the offseason, they still have the most-dynamic wide receiver in the NFL today in Justin Jefferson. Cousins showed last week that the Vikings still intend on slinging the football around the field, and head coach Kevin O’Connell will find a way to rack up points after his team was held in check last week against Tampa Bay. Also, as we noted, the Eagles are dealing with some potential key injuries in the secondary. This, coupled with the new faces running the show on defense in Philly, could create some opportunities for the Minnesota offense to put some big points on the board.

What to like about the under…

• While both teams have potent offenses, we have yet to see them this season. Yes, it is just one game, but if you take the two respective point totals from last week, they combined for a measly 42 points. Naturally, these teams expect to improve as the season progresses, but there is no guarantee, as this will be just the second game for each squad. In the Vikings case, they are working with different players at skill positions, and the Eagles also have a brand-new offensive coordinator – something to consider for this game on a short week.

Preferred Prop: Justin Jefferson any time scorer (+115)

He’s the best wideout in the league and did not score in the season opener. Philly is also dealing with some injuries to key players in their secondary, which could help the Jefferson-Cousins dynamic. Cousins hurled for over 300 yards last week, with Jefferson tallying over 100 alone. Jefferson is primed for a big game, and with a new contract coming on the horizon, expect him to ball out and find the end zone at least once in this game.

Steve Quinne’s Pick: UNDER 49.0

It’s early. As dynamic as both of these offenses “should be,” they’re not there just yet. Minnesota will have a tough enough time putting up points on the road, in a hostile environment, on a short week, and they’re still getting used to life without Dalvin Cook. Last week against the Texans, Philly simply looked “off.” With all due respect to Houston, that should not have been the case. The Vikings present a formidable opponent, so this challenge should be even greater. There’s just something about new-age, early-season football that favors the under. In fact, bettors who took the under in Week 1 went 12-4.