Beyond NFL Week 6 with Mark Craig

There wasn't much more Doug Pederson could do Monday than crack a joke when asked how it feels to be the only coach in the NFL this season to be facing a three-game road trip.

"I was excited," he said. "Get on the road, three great hotels."

The Eagles (3-2) begin their journey in their happy place — U.S. Bank Stadium, where they beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII in February 2018. Only this time they'll play a team that has home-field advantage. The Vikings are 3-2, coming off their most complete win and returning home to a stadium where their dominance has been so powerful, they've yet to throw a fourth-quarter pass in two wins this season.

After that, the Eagles travel to Dallas (3-2) for a game for first place in the NFC East. Then comes a trip to Buffalo (4-1) to face a defense that held Tom Brady to a 45.9 passer rating.

"I mean, it is what it is, honestly," Pederson said. "We don't get a chance to make the schedule. We know who our opponents are. We just don't know when and where we play them."

Pederson can blame the NFL for agreeing with MLB and the TV folks to clear room in Philly for the possibility of the Phillies making the playoffs.

The Phillies went 81-81 and missed the playoffs.

You'll have to pardon the Oakland/London/Vegas Raiders if they fall short on sympathy for the Eagles' road woes. The Raiders will go almost two months — Sept. 15 to Nov. 3 — without a real home game. After traveling to Minneapolis in Week 3, Indianapolis in Week 4 and London for the Bears game last week, the Raiders have a bye followed by games at Green Bay in Week 7 and Houston in Week 8.

Teddy vs. Kirk — a statistical dead heat

Former Viking Teddy Bridgewater and current Viking Kirk Cousins go for their fourth wins of the season with very similar stat lines. In three starts for the Saints, Bridgewater (3-0) has completed 85 of 121 passes (70.2%) for 849 yards (7.0 ypa) with six touchdowns, two interceptions and a 99.5 passer rating. He's a two-point underdog at Jacksonville. Cousins, a three-point favorite at home against the Eagles, has started five games (3-2) and has completed 86 of 126 passes (68.3%) for 1,041 yards (8.3), five touchdowns, two interceptions and a 100.0 passer rating.