So when is it a good thing when your starting quarterback may miss a game? For the Minnesota Vikings, who host the Philadelphia Eagles
Starter Tarvaris Jackson broke a finger on his throwing hand in last week's loss to Dallas and is questionable. However, every indication is that backup Kelly Holcomb will start Sunday.
"I'm still debating, the old game-time decision," Vikings coach Brad Childress said Friday. "You just want to see how a guy keeps coming, keeps coming."
Jackson has an avulsion fracture in his right index finger, and Childress pointed out that finger is crucial for maintaining accuracy on passes. Childress also said the injury could inhibit Jackson's ability to take the center snap. (NFL Injury Report)
Jackson has completed only 15 of his last 42 passes and just 45-of-98 overall for 537 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions. Jackson has the lowest passer rating (48.7) and completion percentage (45.9) among starters.
Holcomb has started two games, and is 35-for-67 for 427 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Eagles know that whomever the quarterback is, they will have to stop the ground game of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor to get a win; the Vikings lead the NFL in rushing offense, averaging nearly 165 yards per game; meanwhile, Minnesota's passing attack is ranked 30th in the league.
"He's a Pro Bowl type of running back," Eagles defensive end Trent Cole said of Peterson, the rookie sensation whom Childress said this week would start to carry a bigger load. "We'll have to go in and shut down the run. If we can shut down the run, everything else should be OK."
The Eagles' run defense has been solid throughout the season, ranking seventh in rushing yards allowed and has given up only two rushing touchdowns.
"We, as a defense, realize we're going against the No. 1 rushing attack in the National Football League," Eagles linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "So now, this is a great test for us."
Philly's offense has been uneven this season. With the exception of a 56-21 win over Detroit on Sept. 23, the Eagles are averaging just 12.0 points per game. They scored eight touchdowns against the Lions but have just three touchdowns in all other games."We have to find a way to get into the end zone," said running back Brian Westbrook, second in the NFC with 789 yards from scrimmage, 68 behind Minnesota's Peterson. "I don't know what the answer is, but we have to find one between now and Sunday. If we can turn some of those points into touchdowns, we'll win some of these games."
It could be tough for Westbrook to find much running room against the Vikings, who are holding opponents to 3.0 yards per carry. The Cowboys last week were the first team this season to rush for more than 100 yards against them.
A big reason for Philly's offensive struggles has been a lack of big plays. The Eagles count big plays as rushes of 10 or more yards, pass completions of 20 or more yards and returns of 30 or more yards.
Their numbers: 21 rushing plays, 14 passing plays and only two returns meet that criteria, and those numbers are skewed by the 56 points scored in the Detroit win (seven rush, five pass). Plus, Philly's average field position has only been its 28,with only five drives starting past the 50.
"It's tough, but you've got to be patient and real methodical," Donovan McNabb said. "There are ways of taking shots, but you have to be smart with the ball."
McNabb claims the NFC East title still goes through Philly, but already the Eagles are 3 ½ games behind Dallas.
"Any time that you are 2-4 and with the situation that we've been in, we easily could have been 4-2, or possibly 5-1. You wish that it never would happen, but in this situation it's an opportunity to move in a positive direction," said McNabb.
The lowdown: The will be the first meeting between Vikings coach Brad Childress and his former team. Childress was Philadelphia's offensive coordinator from 2002-05. McNabb is 3-0 against Minnesota in his career with seven touchdowns and no interceptions, and the Eagles have won six of the last seven meetings between the teams, including a 27-14 win in the divisional round of the 2004 playoffs. The Eagles are -1 on WagerWeb.com for Sunday's game, and I look for a Philly victory.
on Sunday, it just might be.
No comments:
Post a Comment