Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 10.20.25
Wolves awaiting Wednesday’s season opener in Portland.
Eagles Too Much for Vikings
Flying high across the Atlantic Ocean just two weeks ago, the Vikings could now be staring a 3-5 record in the face. Minnesota faltered on both sides of the football in a 28-22 loss to an ailing Eagles team yesterday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Now 3-3, the Vikings have a short week before a road game at the Chargers on Thursday. The Lions follow that in the teams’ first matchup since the playoffs.
The Vikings had to settle for five Will Reichard field goals. Carson Wentz, well he is who we thought he is. WIth the short week, I’m not sure it’ll happen, but at this point just get J.J. McCarthy back in there and see what you’ve got with him. Wentz held onto the ball too long, took a couple key sacks, and routinely overthrew/underthrew receivers by many yards.
The defense? I’m not sure how they can both get zero pressure on Jalen Hurts - the third “perfect” passer rating game in Eagles history - yet also give up three DEEP throws, matching the amount of deep balls allowed by the Vikings all season. The Eagles had lost two in a row coming in, including an embarrassing loss to the Giants a week ago.
Yes, T.J. Hockenson was furious about an overturned touchdown call - I think it would have gone either way, although it was ruled a score on the field. The Vikings just didn’t do enough good things to win this game.
Every team in the NFC North has four wins except for the Vikings.
Wild Winless on Road Trip So Far
Saturday’s 2-1 OT loss in Philadelphia was a marked improvement from Friday’s 5-1 loss in Washington, but it’s little consolation at this point. The Wild hasn’t won in regulation since opening night, and is 0-2-1 on this five-game road trip that continues tonight at Madison Square Garden.
It was the local kid, Stillwater’s Noah Cates, who won it in overtime Saturday. The Wild had led 1-0 in the third. The night prior was one of the worst performances you’ve ever seen from the Wild. The Caps outshot them 45-14.
The Wild doesn’t have enough depth up front, and rotating bottom six forwards between Des Moines and St. Paul isn’t going to get them anywhere.
Six games into the 2025-26 season, Minnesota currently sits in last place in the Central.
Gophers FB Beats No. 25 Nebraska
In a partylike atmosphere on a Friday night at Huntington Bank Stadium, the Gophers fans stormed the field after a convincing 24-6 win over 25th-ranked Nebraska.
The Gophers are really going to want their week three loss at Cal back. They weren’t going to make the college football playoff of course, but a 6-1 mark right now versus 5-2 headed into Iowa week would be splendid. They received a single 25th place vote in this week’s poll - it’d be a lot more than that if they were a one-loss team.
Minnesota’s defense led the way, recording a school-record nine sacks. The Cornhuskers’ lauded run defense didn’t stand a chance against a finally healthy Darius Taylor (148 yards). Drake Lindsey ran for a first-half score, and his 20-yard touchdown pass late in the third broke open a 7-6 game.
Iowa carries identical to the Gophers 5-2 overall and 3-1 Big 10 marks into Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. tilt. Who hates Iowa? And could the Gophers be 7-2 going into Oregon on Nov. 14?
Gopher Hockey Update
Give the Gopher men some credit - after being skated out of The Ralph 5-2 on Friday, they rebounded for a nice 5-2 victory on Saturday to hand No. 8 UND its first loss of the season. The Gophers host UMD in another “what used to be” series this weekend.
The Gopher women also split a lopsided series with a rival. After losing 4-1 at home to No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, the third-ranked Gophers beat the Buckeyes 6-3 on Sunday. The teams brawled in the final seconds of Saturday’s game, to the tune of seven game misconducts and two ejections. The Gophers continue the murderer’s row of the WCHA schedule, visiting No. 4 UMD this weekend before going to No. 1 Wisconsin the following week.
Loons to Play Seattle in First Round
The Loons had a chance to avoid rival Seattle in the first-round of the MLS playoffs, but a 2-1 loss to the last-place Galaxy on Saturday puts the Sounders right in Minnesota’s crosshairs.
Minnesota, which will get to host Games 1 and 3 of the best-of-three series, is 3-14-2 against Seattle since joining MLS. They’ve won just one of 10 games in Seattle. However, this season the Loons have beaten the Sounders twice, including once on the road.
The Loons won just once in their final five rgular season games. Game 1 is set for Monday, Oct. 27, at Allianz Field at 8 p.m. Game 2 is in Seattle the following Monday.
There is no overtime or ties in the playoffs; teams go straight to penalty kicks. The Loons won last year’s first-round series against Real Salt Lake with a pair of PK victories.
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