Week 2 of the NFL season begins on Thursday Night Football with an intriguing matchup between Kirk Cousins, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Super Bowl finalist Philadelphia Eagles. Kick-off is set for 8:15 PM ET at Lincoln Financial Field. Minny is looking for their first win after losing a 20-17 nailbiter to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. As for Philly, they took down the New England Patriots by a score of 25-20 in the season opener. Continue reading for the Vikings vs Eagles picks.
Before we get into the odds, preview, and prediction, check out our NFL betting odds and Super Bowl odds for 2024.
By no surprise, the Eagles are a big favorite Thursday with moneyline odds of -325 for an implied win probability of 76.47%. The Vikings come back at +270. Philadelphia is laying seven points on the spread and the total is set at 48.5. As for head-to-head, the Eagles hammered Minnesota 24-7 last season and have won three of the last five meetings. The over has only hit in four of those games. Something to keep in mind.
Facing the Super Bowl runners-up is never going to be easy for any team. Plus, the Vikings haven’t exactly had much luck against the Eagles in past years. Regardless, they won’t be thinking of anything but a win, even in a hostile environment at Lincoln Financial Field. Turnovers proved to be the difference-maker in Sunday’s loss to the new-look Buccaneers, with Kirk Cousins throwing one interception and also fumbling twice.
But his numbers still looked respectable, completing 33 of 44 passes for two touchdowns and 344 total yards. Cousins linked up with Justin Jefferson nine times for an impressive 150 yards while running back Alexander Mattinson rushed for 34 yards on 11 carries in his first game as the starter. To be brutally honest, Minnesota outplayed Tampa offensively, with far more passing and rushing yards. The three first-half mistakes were unfortunately very costly.
The Vikings failed to cover last year against the Eagles and were 3-3-1 ATS on the road in 2022. They were also just 1-3 as a road underdog. With Philadelphia possessing such a strong defensive line, Cousins has to be sharp on Thursday or else more turnovers could be in the cards.
The Eagles went 16-2 last season and were unbeaten for a lot of the campaign. While Nick Sirianni’s squad thrived everywhere, they were essentially flawless at home, going 9-2. Philadelphia fans are always wild, and that atmosphere certainly helped Jalen Hurts and Co.
After a gut-wrenching loss in the Super Bowl in February, the Eagles came out and started off 2023 on the right foot. The defense shined, with rookie Jalen Carter absolutely wreaking havoc with eight QB pressures and a sack on Mac Jones. Offensively, Hurts was 22 for 33 for 170 yards and one passing touchdown. He also rushed for 37 yards on nine carries. It wasn’t a fantastic performance from the signal-caller, but he did enough to help the Birds get a win.
Out wide, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, both had seven receptions apiece to lead the way. The Pats were the more dominant offensive team, but Philadelphia managed to capitalize off two early turnovers by New England. That was key. Kicker Jake Elliott, meanwhile, was clutch in this one, converting all four of his field goals. The Eagles have to be much more productive on Thursday, and that’s expected, considering they’re at home. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Hurts come out and play like his usual self from 22′ in front of the Philly faithful.
Philadelphia was only 10-10 ATS last season but did go 8-3 ATS at home. A touchdown really isn’t a huge spread, and the Eagles, again, flourish at Lincoln Financial. Taking them to cover is a comfortable bet.
See below the top Las Vegas betting sites where you can wager online and choose the best one:
