MINNEAPOLIS -- — After their worst performance in more than a year, the Philadelphia Eagles have had some extra time to try to sort out their problems, iron out their inconsistencies and air out their feelings.

The defending Super Bowl champions will be quickly challenged to show they've made some strides.

The Eagles, after a humbling 34-17 defeat in prime time by the division-rival New York Giants and a 10-day break to reexamine their lineups, mindsets and schemes, play at Minnesota on Sunday.

“There was a little bit of rest and relaxation, and then there was a lot of trying to figure things out,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We have a lot of thoughts, a lot of things that we want to put into action.”

The Vikings (3-2) are coming off even more time for rest and reflection, after splitting an historic two-game road trip to Europe and taking their much-needed bye week. They not only have multiple strengths that should match up well for them with some of the early season vulnerabilities that have been on display by the Eagles, but they're much healthier as a team now after a series of injuries sidelined several key players.

The Eagles (4-2) must try to fix an offense that ranks third-worst in the NFL in total yards against a Vikings defense allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league.

“They’re the defending champs,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “I’m not really looking at the numbers, just the history and the talent that’s there, the explosiveness that’s there. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”

Saquon Barkley, a 2,000-yard rusher in 2024, hasn't come close to an 100-yard game yet. Quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn't played like the Super Bowl MVP he was last season. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, both multiple-time 1,000-yard receivers, have both expressed discontent with their role. After the loss to the Giants, six-time Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson ripped the “predictability” of the offense.

“I feel like we’ve been very stagnant offensively," Johnson said. "We’ve really put the defense in a bind the last two weeks.”

Wentz's career comes full circle

One of the many injuries the Vikings have had to navigate was a high ankle sprain that has sidelined quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the last three games.

Carson Wentz has filled in admirably, having joined the team just six weeks ago, and Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell has stressed his desire that McCarthy not only demonstrate he's fully healthy but fully ready to resume running the offense before he's reinstalled as the starter. That puts Wentz in position to face the team that drafted him second overall in 2016 and replaced him with Hurts five years later.

Having made Minnesota his sixth stop in six seasons, however, Wentz is too far removed from his time in Philadelphia to take any extra emotion into the game Sunday. Johnson, Hurts and left tackle Jordan Mailata are the only three offensive players still around from Wentz's time.

“There are still guys in that organization, a lot of good people that I still have a lot of care for and respect for," Wentz said, "but at the same time that feels like multiple lifetimes ago.”

Who's snapping the ball?

The injury bug in Minnesota has hit the offensive line the hardest, but the patchwork group delivered a remarkable performance in the comeback win over Cleveland in London.

Most notable was the job done by fill-in center Blake Brandel, who was the starting left guard last season and originally a tackle who had never before played in the middle. Ryan Kelly, the original starter, is on injured reserve with a concussion. Backup Michael Jurgens was sidelined the previous game with a hamstring injury.

“The way Blake handled this game, I think we might be looking at a situation where this could be his best position of all five across the line,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said.

Hold on tight

The Vikings have lost four fumbles in five games, including two against the Browns that were big momentum killers. The first one set up a touchdown for the Browns.

“Ball security has to be a premium for the way we're going to win games,” O'Connell said.

The last time the Vikings faced the Eagles, a 34-28 loss in Philadelphia in Week 2 of the 2023 season, they lost four fumbles.

Play-calling status quo

First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been an easy target for frustrated Eagles fans, but Sirianni refused to second-guess or micromanage his lieutenant.

“Not in this sport is it ever on one person, and we’re not in the business of assigning blame,” Sirianni said. “I know that we live in a world that wants to assign blame, point the finger, but that’s not the reality of what good teams do.”

Corner backs to the wall

The Eagles have only three interceptions in six games, just one by a defensive back: rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.

While Cooper DeJean's performance has been steady since he capped his rookie season with an interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, the rest of the cornerbacks have been uneven at best, with neither Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson taking hold of the spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell. That's a recipe for trouble against a dangerous group of Vikings pass-catchers led by All-Pro Justin Jefferson.

"We’ve got to settle in and find somebody out there that we can rely on,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “I think we have the guys that can do that. We've just got to get them playing better.”

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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston contributed from Philadelphia.

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