Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) at Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
Last week, when I picked the Vikings to cover against the Giants, I said I thought they would be a team that would look great against easy competition, but struggle to win big games. Part of my reasoning for that is that quarterback Kirk Cousins has typically struggled against tougher competition. Dating back to his first full season as a starter in 2014, Cousins is just 7-20 in week 4 or later against teams that are above .500. Even with a better supporting cast with the Vikings, he was 1-5 last season and has already lost this season to the Packers and Bears (while beating the Falcons, Giants, and Raiders by a combined 54 points).
The Eagles, who rank 2nd in my roster rankings, certainly qualify as tough competition, even as the visitors in this game. They’re just 3-2, but they won the first down rate battle in their loss to the Lions and have arguably the most complete roster in the NFL. The Vikings have a strong roster as well, but I still have this line calculated at even, and that’s before taking into account Cousins’ struggles against tougher competition. As field goal underdogs, the Eagles are worth a bet and I like their chances of pulling the straight up upset as well.
Philadelphia Eagles 24 Minnesota Vikings 23 Upset Pick +140
Pick against the spread: Philadelphia +3
Confidence: Medium