NFL Betting With Playoff Implications Falcons @ Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings (9-5 SU, 6-8 ATS) are desperate to hang on to their NFC North division lead. The Atlanta Falcons (9-5 SU, 8-6 ATS) are desperate to garner a playoff spot. On Sunday these two teams will meet to see who can take a step toward that next level. Kickoff is set for 4:15 PM ET at the Metrodome (artificial turf) in Minneapolis.
In the BetUS NFL football betting odds, the Vikings are listed as a three-point home favorite with a posted total of 43.5 points.
BetUS NFL betting odds: MINNESOTA -3, Total 43.5
NOTABLE STAT: Vikings have allowed 15 ppg over their last five
KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Minnesota is 6-1 SU in last seven games
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* ATL has won five of its last seven games SU
* ATL has played six of its last nine games UNDER the total
* ATL has lost 12 of its last 16 road games SU
* ATL has played 15 of its last 20 road games UNDER the total
* MINN has won six of its last seven games SU
* MINN has played six of its last eight games OVER the total
* MINN has won its last five home games SU
* MINN has played nine of its last 13 home games OVER the total
Also…
* ATL has covered four of the last six meetings
* MINN has won seven of the last ten meetings SU
* MINN has won six of the last eight meetings SU as the home team
* Four of the last six meetings in Minneapolis have gone OVER the total
At present, Minnesota holds onto a one-game lead in the NFC North and can not falter because Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Dallas all have 9-5 records and are competing for wild card spots. It has looked like full steam ahead for the Vikings over the past month as they have withstood a quarterback change and a steroid suspensions scandal for their pair of Pro Bowl defensive tackles. One of them, Pat Williams, is out of this game with a fractured shoulder which could keep him out of the playoffs if the Vikes make it that far.
On the quarterback front, so far so good as far as transitioning back to Tarvaris Jackson, who lost his job to Gus Frerotte in the season’s third week and got it back when Frerotte went out with a lower back problem. All Jackson has done since then is complete 19 of 27 passes for 268 yards (almost ten yards an attempt!) with five TD’s and no interceptions. Frerotte may be well enough to play, but there would appear to be no need to just hand it back to him right now.
Adrian Peterson is the guy who’s been carrying the Vikes. With 401 yards in the last three weeks and 1581 yards for the season, he’s both the guy who is leading the charge down the stretch and the guy who is making the case for MVP. Of course Atlanta, which has been the surprise of the NFC, counters with Michael Turner who’s got 1421 yards and 15 TD’s. It has been the game plan of both these teams to run first and second, and pass later despite the recent heroics of Jackson and the play of rookie Matt Ryan (62%, 3146 yards).
Both these teams “pitch” with the ground attack. But who “catches” better? Well, Minnesota surrenders just 3.2 yards a carry and 257 total in the last four weeks. Even without Pat Williams, they’re liable to be very formidable in this department. On the other hand, Atlanta has had difficulty all year long defending against capable running attacks. And even middling ones (allowing 184 yards on ground to New Orleans in a loss two weeks ago). The Falcons have yielded 4.9 yards a carry. And that is going to be the difference, along with the fact that Ryan’s numbers dip a bit (59%, just 6.9 yards/attempt) when he goes on the road.
We think Minnesota is going to come up big in this “must” game for both sides. It’s the Vikings, minus three points in the BetUS NFL pro football online betting odds.
