How They'll Lose

Week Two vs.Minnesota

by Brian Hickey

I got four words for you, people: The fix was in.

Now that the Week One hangovers have officially worn off — if you were at CP photographer Michael T. Regan's party, it took a little longer than normal — let's look at this whole Eagles thing realistically. As in, how you gonna go and give up 413 net yards against the stinkin' New York Giants and still win?

Sure, the Birds thrashed the Rev. Kurt Warner and co. up and down the field. (And how about that hit on lil' Eli?) And sure, T.O. made his presence known with three big welcome-to-Philly touchdowns. But don't think for one second that the performance was a harbinger of things to come.

Nope, the luck stops Monday night when Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss, Kelly Campbell and the rest of the Vikings maraud their way through the Linc. They'll be facing an overconfident bunch of Eagles — one of whom barely made it to the opener on time — who will already rue the Sunday that their No. 1 draft pick got carted off the field with a busted leg. The N.Y. Dwarves brought very little heart but still racked up a respectable amount of yardage. The Vikings, though, are becoming an offensive juggernaut. Under the bright, prime-time lights, Culpepper will outthrow and outrun Donovan McNabb. Moss will statistically humiliate Owens while embarrassing the secondary on his way to a highlight-reel night.

Three-and-a-half-point favorites at home on Monday night? Even the oddsmakers are worried about this one. You should be too.

Vikings 35, Eagles 31.

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