Ground Report

EAGLES- VIKINGS

Minnesota Vikings

In the team’s first postseason appearance since 2004,the NFC North division champion Minnesota Vikings (10-6)will host the Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) in a Wild Card Playoffgame on Sunday, January 4. Kickoff at the Metrodome is set for3:30 p.m. (CT).
The Vikings earned the playoff berth and clinched their fi rst division title sincethey won the 2000 NFC Central with a 20-19 last-second victory over the New York Giants last Sunday. It is the team’s fi rst NFC North championship since the division was realignedin 2002. The win also gave Minnesota its first 10-win season since 2000.
Sunday’s matchup features 2 of the NFL’s top defenses, as the Eagles finished the 2008 season ranked 3rd and the Vikings were ranked 6th.
The Vikings had the #1 rushing defense for the 3rd consecutive season, a feat that has never been accomplished in the NFL.
This will be the 23rd time the Vikings and Eagles have met and the 3rd time the teams have played in the postseason. Minnesota has never hosted Philadelphia in the playoffs before.

2008 STATISTICAL SNAPSHOT

(2008 Final Regular Season NFL Ranking)

Vikings……………………… Eagles
10-6… Record… 9-6-1
23.7 (12)… Points Per Game… 26.0 (6)
292 (18)… First Downs… 318 (8)
330.5 (17)… Total Offense Per Game… 350.5 (9)
145.8 (5)… Net Rushing Yards Per Game… 106.1 (22)
184.8 (25)… Net Passing Yards Per Game… 244.4 (6)
17/329 (23)… Had Intercepted/Yards Returned… 16/434 (21t)
43/261 (26)… Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost… 23/149 (7)
31:19 (10)… Possession Average… 30:55 (12)
39.4 (19)… Third Down Efficiency… 41.3 (12)
20.8 (13)… Opp. Points Per Game… 18.1 (4)
255 (4)… Opp. First Downs… 248 (3)
292.4 (6)… Opp. Total Offense Per Game… 274.3 (3)
76.9 (1)… Opp. Net Rushing Yards Per Game… 92.3 (4)
215.6 (18)… Opp. Net Passing Yards Per Game… 182.1 (3)
12/56 (21t)… Defensive Interceptions/Yards… 15/279 (11t)
45/304 (4)… Defensive Sacks/Yards… 48/312 (3)
-6 (24)… Turnover Ratio… +3 (14)
74/46.9 (4)… Punts/Gross Punting Average… 78/42.7 (22)
90/692 (17)… Penalties/Yards… 74/635 (4)

Philadelphia Eagles

After winning 4 of their last 5 games to earn their 7th playoff appearance in the last 9 seasons, the Eagles will travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings in the Wild Card round.
The Eagles have won their last 4 games against the Vikings, including a 27-14 win in the Divisional round of the 2004 playoffs.
Andy Reid will be going up against Eagles former assistant coach Brad Childress for the second time, after defeating the Vikings last season, 23-16. Reid is 8-6 overall in the playoffs and 3-0 in the Wild Card round.

THIS WEEK’S MATCHUP

The Eagles have made the playoffs 7 times in Reid’s 10 years as head
coach. Only Indianapolis (9) has made more trips to the playoffs during
that span. In Reid’s 17-year NFL coaching career, his team has made
the playoffs 13 times.

EAGLES-VIKINGS PLAYOFF QUICK HITS:

• The Eagles are 6-4 in NFC Wildcard games (3-0 under Andy Reid)
• Andy Reid has advanced to the NFC Divisional round 6 times since
1999 – more than any other team in the NFL
• The Eagles are 2-0 against the Vikings in the postseason, both
home divisional playoff games
• Both times the Eagles have faced the Vikings in the postseason,
they have advanced to the Super Bowl (1980, 2004)

PLAYOFF-BOUND BIRDS
MOST POSTSEASON BERTHS
SINCE 1999

Indianapolis 9
Philadelphia 7
6 Teams with 6

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