NFL Week 2 Best Bets: Minnesota Vikings vs Philadelphia Eagles Picks for Thursday Night Football
NFL Week 2 is here and starting us off just right with the Minnesota Vikings heading to Philadelphia to take on Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. NFL best bets for the entire week will come out soon enough but we wanted to focus on Thursday Night Football with such a great match-up. The Eagles had a rough-and-tumble victory over the New England Patriots while the Vikings suffered a tough upset, losing to the Buccaneers. How much of an effect did last week’s results have on the point spread and total? Probably a little more than what we want, but it’s still early in the season and we have to make some decisions based on the data at hand. Here is a look at how I am betting tonight’s game along with a few player props as well.
NFL Thursday Night Football Best Bets: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
The Spread: Eagles -6.5
The public money is leaning towards the Eagles with roughly 64-percent of the bets going their way and laying the points. More often than not, I am a “fade the public” kind of guy, but it’s tough to love Minnesota to cover when you look at them not having center Garrett Bradbury and seeing LT Christian Darrisaw questionable with an ankle injury. Even if he plays, how is he going to handle this Eagles pass-rush? Then there’s the whole Justin Jefferson/Darius Slay match-up where Slay has had the upper hand in recent games. On the other side for the Vikings, you’ve got a shaky defense that struggled to contain the Bics last week. Brian Flores is a great defensive coordinator but if you don’t have the personnel to keep up, you don’t have it. It’s a tough one for me, but so long as it stays under a touchdown, I’m good with the home favorite.
Pick: Eagles -6.5
The Total: 49
These are two potent offenses and while Slay may have gotten the better of Jefferson recently, you cannot totally discount this Vikings team with assets like T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison and even Alexander Mattison. The Eagles may be without Kenneth Gainwell, but that’s not moving the needle for me that much and believe D’Andre Swift and/or Rashaad Penny can handle the rushing work. It’s about Jalen Hurts and his receiving corps. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and even Dallas Goedert may prove too tough for the Vikings defense to contain. Thursday Night Football usually feeds the under, but I think it’s early enough in the season to think both teams are physically ready and amped up.
Pick: Over 49
Favorite Thursday Night Football Player Props:
- DeVonta Smith Anytime TD (+145)
- DeVonta Smith receiving yards over 64.5 (-130)
- D’Andre Swift rushing + receiving yards over 53.5 (-115)
- T.J. Hockenson over 4.5 receptions (-166)
- Justin Jefferson receptions under 7.5 (-130)
**all odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Player News
Ravens signed DT John Jenkins to a one-year contract.
The 35-year-old 13th-year pro slides in as a 1-for-1 Michael Pierce replacement after the former Raven retired in March. Although strictly a two-down player, Jenkins actually played a new career high 606 snaps for the Raiders last season. He probably won’t reach that total in Baltimore, but he should see plenty of work as a run-stopper.
49ers signed K Greg Joseph.
The 30-year-old journeyman spent time with each of the Giants, Commanders and Jets last season. He’ll serve as a veteran, in-house option should third-year pro Jake Moody look shaky this summer after an underwhelming 2024.
49ers signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract extension.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Purdy gets $181 million in total guarantees with $165.1 million in the first three new years. He is now under contract through 2030. The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant flashed in a handful of starts as a rookie and immediately proved to be Kyle Shanahan’s next efficiency phenom in 2023 with 4,280 yards and 31 scores. Purdy’s numbers fell in 2024, but he did enough to keep the offense on the tracks despite a rash of injuries, even if the 49ers lumbered to a 6-11 record. Purdy managed 3,864 yards and 20 scores in 15 games and showed an improved ability to work out of structure and under pressure. Though he may not have a truly elite ceiling, Purdy is beginning to beat the system quarterback allegations after just two seasons as the full-time starter. With the league’s easiest schedule on tap for 2025, expect a rebound from Purdy and the entire team this year.
Jets released K Greg Zuerlein.
Defensive end Michael Fletcher was signed in a corresponding move. Zuerlein has kicked for the Jets since 2022. He suffered a knee injury last year and briefly returned before being placed back on injured reserve. Zuerlein appeared in eight games and went a dreadful 9-of-15 on his field goal tries. The 60 percent hit rate was by far the worst of his career. Now 37 years old, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Legatron hang up the cleats for good after being released. If he wants to keep kicking, another team will be more than willing to at least give him a camp battle to win.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said his guess is that the NFL will ban the tush push during next week’s owners’ meeting.
Schefter didn’t cite any sources directly but reiterated the point later in the latest episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, saying he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the owners voted to outlaw the play. Losing the free touchdown play would undoubtedly hurt Philly’s offense and Jalen Hurts’ fantasy outlook, but it’s hard to imagine a team with Hurts, an elite offensive line, and Saquon Barkley not finding other ways to get in the end zone from a yard out. If the tush push is banned, it would likely just shuffle some of Hurts’ touchdowns to Barkley. Other teams including the Bills have experimented with similar plays, but no one has found as much success as the Eagles. The owners will also be voting on a change to the playoff seeding rules. The proposed change would seed teams based purely on their record instead of each division winner earning a top-four seed. While that may be a more logical way to do things, it’s certainly less fun.
Steelers beat writer Nick Farabaugh reports the team has called the Saints about a possible trade for Chris Olave.
According to Farabaugh, one source described the Steelers’ inquiry as “a due diligence call” while adding that a trade “doesn’t seem likely to happen” at this time. The Steelers trade George Pickens to the Cowboys just over a week ago, and are now looking at DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, and Calvin Austin as their top options in three receiver sets. Of those three, Metcalf is the only receiver with notable NFL success, while Wilson effectively redshirted his rookie season due to injuries. Olave caught 32 passes for 400 yards and one touchdown for the Saints last season, but missed nine games due to multiple concussions he suffered. The four-year receiver posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons during his first two years in the league, and would provide an immediate upgrade to an underwhelming Steelers receiving corps. Farabaugh reports that in addition to a trade being unlikely, that the Saints do “not seem interested in trading Olave” at this time. The Saints picked up Olave’s fifth-year option last month, and will likely look to extend him in the not too distant future.