Minnesota Vikings lead the league in key defensive category and it could catapult them to a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Flores’ defense is explosive in more ways than one.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) prepares to punch the ball out as Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant (86) runs after the catch during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Sunday afternoon is an important game for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings.

After starting out the season 4-0, the Eagles have lost two in a row mainly due to the struggles on offense. Fresh off a Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hurts has struggled in multiple ways. The intermediate part of the passing attack is essentially non-existent. Pair that with the struggles against zone coverage and they don’t feel like a reigning Super Bowl champion.

On the other side, the Vikings offense is struggling across the board. The one area where they aren’t is on defense, as they still rank second in the NFL in EPA/play and first in EPA/dropback. Their aggression has played a major factor in winning three games ahead of the bye week.

Vikings aggressiveness on defense could be the deciding factor

In the 2025 season, the Vikings tied for the NFL lead with 33 takeaways. They were fantastic in taking the ball away, and did so consistently. We know how volatile turnovers can be, as they aren’t necessarily predictive year/year. This season, the Vikings have forced just seven turnovers, which projects out to 24 on the season. Even so, they continue to be aggressive.

This season, the Vikings don’t have the turnover numbers, but the aggressiveness is still there. They lead the NFL this season in fumbles forced with eight through the first six games. Not only is that impressive, but the Vikings have only played in five games.

Continuing to attack the football with how the Eagles have played could end up being a huge factor. They have fumbled the ball just five times this season, which is T-15th for most in the league. Of those fumbles, Hurts has the most with three. He’s been hard to track down this season, but getting to the football will be a major key for the Vikings.

Turnovers are the easiest way to flip the script of a game, and it’s something that’s a focus of Brian Flores‘ defense. If the Vikings fan find a way to make an impact in the turnover game, it could be massive in determining a winner on Sunday.

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