Eagles-Vikings scouting report, prediction | Paul Domowitch

The Eagles will host the Minnesota Vikings at 4:25 p.m. Sunday  Fox29) in a rematch of the NFC championship game. Here is a scouting report, including a prediction.

The Eagles have been banged up at running back. Darren Sproles (quad) has missed the last three games, and Jay Ajayi (back) and Corey Clement (quad) each have missed one. Even with that, the Eagles are a respectable 11th in the league in rushing (118.3 yards per game) and 12th in rush average (4.4). The offensive line has been inconsistent in pass protection, but has done a pretty good job run-blocking.

Ajayi had 70 yards and four rushing first downs on 15 carries in the  loss last Sunday to the Titans. Wendell Smallwood ran the ball hard and well, picking up 39 yards on five carries. He is averaging 5.6 yards per carry. The Eagles are averaging 4.51 yards per carry on first down, the 12th-best mark in the league.

The Vikings, who finished second in run defense last year to the Eagles, haven't been as dominant this year, but they still are one of the league's top run defenses. They held 2017 offensive player of the year Todd Gurley to 83 yards on 17 carries last week. Sheldon Richardson and their other defensive tackle, Linval Joseph, are going to be a major challenge for the interior of the Eagles' line.

EDGE: Vikings

Carson Wentz had a respectable 93.2 passer rating in his first two games back and completed 66.7 percent of his throws. But his touchdown percentage and yards-per-attempt average both are well below last year's MVP-candidate level. He led the league in red-zone and third-down passing last year before his injury. In his two games back, he  completed just 9 of 20 third-down attempts and was sacked three times. He's 6-for-14 in the red zone. He should keep improving as he gains confidence in his knee,  particularly now that he has Alshon Jeffery back. Jeffery had eight catches for 105 yards and a TD against the Titans.

The Vikings have struggled against the pass. Last year, they had the second-best opponent passer rating in the league (73.0). This year, they have the fifth worst (105.9). They are 30th in opponent yards per attempt (9.2) and have given up eight TD passes, five last week to the Rams' Jared Goff.

EDGE: Eagles

The Vikings' ground game has been pretty much nonexistent. They are dead last in the league in rushing (63.0 yards per game) and 30th in rush average (3.5). Even with Dalvin Cook back after missing most of his rookie season with an ACL tear, the Vikings haven't even really tried to run the ball. They're averaging a league-low 18.2 rush attempts per game. Cook is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry on 36 carries. The Vikings' No. 2 running back, Latavius Murray, is averaging 3.4 yards on 19 carries.

The Vikings have just four runs of 10 or more yards, the fewest in the league. They'll be facing an Eagles defense that is first in the league against the run (63.8 yards per game) and second in opponent rush average (3.4). The Eagles have given up a league-low 11 rushing first downs. They've held opposing runners to two yards or fewer on 43 of 76 rushing attempts.

EDGE: Eagles

The Vikings upgraded at quarterback in the offseason, letting Case Keenum walk and signing former Redskin Kirk Cousins. Cousins has gotten off to an impressive start with the Vikings. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in the first four games. He leads the league in both attempts and completions, and is third in passing yards (1,337) and sixth in completion percentage.

He has two Pro Bowl wideouts at his disposal – Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs – who already have combined for 67 catches for 784 yards and five touchdowns. The 6-1, 195-pound Thielen has an NFL-high 13 third-down receptions, 11 for first downs. Cousins has a 105.1 third-down passer rating, but nine of his 13 sacks have come on third down.

The Eagles' pass defense has run hot and cold. They held the Falcons' Matt Ryan and the Colts' Andrew Luck to a combined 68.1 passer rating but got lit up by the Bucs' Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Titans' Marcus Mariota (a combined 120.8 passer rating). The loss of underrated safety Rodney McLeod was a major blow to the secondary, and the Eagles  need to figure out a way to compensate for it.

EDGE: Vikings

Fifteen of Jake Elliott's 18 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks. He is 6-for-8 on field goal attempts, with his two misses coming from 55 and 42 yards. He has made his last five attempts. Punter Cam Johnston is first in the league in gross average (51.5) and third in net (40.5). Eight of his 20 punts have traveled 55 yards or longer, but he needs to cut down on his touchbacks (5). Punt returner Darren Sproles has missed the last three games with a quad injury. DeAndre Carter got his first crack at replacing him Sunday and had a 42-yard return.

Eagles coverage units have been solid. They're 10th in punt coverage (5.6 per return, long of 11 yards) and tied for third in kickoff coverage (16.0). The Vikings signed ex-Cowboy kicker Dan Bailey after Daniel Carlson missed three field goal attempts in a 29-29  tie against the Packers in Week 2. Bailey is the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history (88.3 percent). Matt Wile is an excellent hang-time punter. Just six of his 18 punts have been returned.

EDGE: Eagles

The Eagles defense has been infinitely better at home than on the road. Since the start of the 2016 season, it has held opponents to 12.7 points per game at the Linc as opposed to 24.1 per game on the road.

EDGE: Eagles

Eagles 27, Vikings 24

Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo vs. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz: While Schwartz has that home thing going for him, he is missing underrated safety Rodney McLeod. Meanwhile, DeFilippo, who was the Eagles' quarterbacks coach the last two seasons, has a pretty good feel for the strengths and weaknesses of Schwartz's personnel. ADVANTAGE: Even

Eagles cornerbacks Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby, and Sidney Jones vs. Vikings wide receivers Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and Laquon Treadwell: The Eagles secondary had a tough afternoon in the loss to the Titans. Now it faces one of the league's best receiver tandems in Thielen and Diggs, who already have combined for 67 catches and five TDs. ADVANTAGE: Vikings

Eagles left tackle Jason Peters vs. Vikings defensive  Danielle Hunter: Hunter, who has a team-high four sacks, lined up primarily across from right tackle  Lane Johnson in the NFC championship game. But with Everson Griffen out, he'll likely spend most of the day opposite nine-time Pro Bowler Peters. ADVANTAGE: Eagles

Eagles

Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery: Targeted nine times, he had eight catches for 105 yards and a TD in his first game back.

Vikings

Wide receiver Adam Thielen: He has 40 receptions in the Vikings' first four games, including a league-high 13 on third down (11 for first downs).

Eagles

Secondary: A group effort by this unit led to the second-half collapse vs. the Titans.

Vikings

Secondary: From a 73.0 opponent passer rating last season to 105.9 in the first four games this season.