Defense

Eagles head Coach Doug Pederson is going to have to continue to fortify his reputation as an innovative play caller in order to win the NFC Championship Game Sunday afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings, and their No. 1 overall defense in the NFL.

The Vikings will play in their 10th NFL/NFC title game on Sunday and they’ll do so against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Here are five Vikings-Eagles storylines to watch this week during the buildup to the NFC Championship Game.

One team has a suffocating defense. The other has the NFL's No. 1 unit.

The Vikings had the No. 1 defense in the NFL during the regular season and rightfully so. Mike Zimmer's scheme is aggressive, fast and filled with top-flight talent. - Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News

As amazing as the Vikings' win over the Saints was, Mike Zimmer and Minnesota are moving on and have shifted their focus to Philadelphia.

The Vikings are back on the road with the opportunity to #BringItHome to U.S. Bank Stadium.

There was a time not too long ago that the vaunted Vikings defense was essentially the laughing stock of the league. In fact, before coach Mike Zimmer arrived in 2014, the Vikings were fresh of a season in which they finished dead last in scoring defense (30.0 points per game) and second to last in team defense (397.6 yards per game). How have things changed since he's been in the Twin Cities? Well, under the 61-year-old defensive guru, the Vikings have steadily improved, culminating this season when they led the league in scoring defense (15.8 points per game) and team defense (275.9 yards per game).

Minnesota has been masterful in developing its defense with draft picks and free-agency signings under coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman.

Some ideas based on what’s worked earlier in the season.

All 11 of Minnesota’s defensive starters have been with the team for at least three seasons. That’s exceedingly rare in a league defined by turnover—and it’s created a unit that’s devastatingly complex.