The Vikings, returning home after their two-game international trip and their bye week, have a losing record at U.S. Bank Stadium this year. They will have to handle two difficult road games before they get another chance to turn things around at home.
They lost to the Eagles 28-22 on Sunday in a game they never led but had multiple chances to pull ahead of the defending Super Bowl champions. Instead, the Eagles, who had lost two in a row coming into the day, beat the Vikings because of turnovers and big third-down plays.
Carson Wentz finished 26-of-42 for 313 yards while throwing two interceptions, including a first-half throw over the middle that Jalyx Hunt intercepted and returned for a touchdown as Jalen Carter drilled Wentz after beating center Blake Brandel with a swim move.
The Vikings gained at least 46 yards on five of their last six drives, but only one of those drives resulted in a touchdown, while the Eagles scored four touchdowns as Jalen Hurts finished with a perfect passer rating. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 326 yards and three scores. With 1:45 left, he sealed the game by hitting A.J. Brown for a 45-yard gain on a third-and-9 in the fourth quarter, after Brown faked inside to get Isaiah Rodgers (who was anticipating a throw at the sticks) to bite.
Why it happened
The Vikings gave up 27 net yards on Philadelphia’s next four possessions after a game-opening touchdown drive, and they held Saquon Barkley to 44 yards on 18 carries. But too many times, Hurts killed the Vikings for big gains on extended plays where he found a receiver after holding the ball. He had two strikes for third-and-long conversions in the fourth quarter, and completed 18 of his first 21 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. The Vikings also settled for field goals five times after reaching the red zone, including their first drive of the game when an errant Blake Brandel snap forced Carson Wentz to chase the ball down at the Eagles 41.
What it means
The Vikings fell back to 3-3 and lost for the second time this season at U.S. Bank Stadium in a game that appeared there for the taking several times. Their red-zone issues and Wentz’s two interceptions will sting after this one, as they missed a chance to get to 4-2 while handing a third consecutive loss to a team they might be battling for playoff positioning.
Play of the game
The Eagles hadn’t found success in play action under center all season, but they got their biggest play of the day when Hurts lined up under center and threw deep for Devonta Smith off a play fake, throwing a 79-yard touchdown to the receiver as he beat Rodgers off a double move. The score made it 21-9 Eagles in the third quarter.
Turning point
With the Vikings down two points in the fourth quarter and U.S. Bank Stadium at full volume while the Eagles faced a third-and-13, Hurts avoided pressure from Dallas Turner and scrambled to his left, finding A.J. Brown for a first down. He ended the drive with a 21-yard throw to Smith in the middle of the Vikings zone coverage, and a 26-yard strike for a touchdown to Smith against Byron Murphy Jr.
