The New Orleans Saints vs. the Minnesota Vikings is not just a chance to do some NFL betting, or, note to self, a great idea for a Sci Fi Channel original movie, but also, running back Adrian Peterson’s, for the first time since the Vikes decided not to exercise his 2017 option on his contract, return to that hinterland that is Minnesota. Will the Saints convert the Vikings, or will the Vikings continue their pagan ways?
A message to my fans and @Vikings family pic.twitter.com/4a8uqgfZD6
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) May 6, 2017
- Date: Monday, September 11th
- Time: 7:10 PM
- Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sportsbook Odds for Fans Betting on NFL:
Saints +3 (-101) 48 (-110) +143
Vikings -3 (-119) 48 (-110) -163
Throw the ball like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch
Breesus and the Saints can’t, after starting 0-3 two seasons in a row, sufficiently stress the importance of getting off. To a fast start, that is. “There’s a lot that that does to you in regards to confidence and momentum, and it’s something that we haven’t done here the last few years, so it’ll be nice to get off to a fast start,” starting quarterback Drew Brees said per NOLA.com. “To get to 4-0, 5-0, it gives you some room for error,” added safety Kenny Vaccaro. “Just building that momentum, that confidence, these young guys knowing how it feels to win a regular-season game, I think that’s important for team morale.” New Orleans has, of the last five overall meetings with the Vikings, won four, but has lost five of their last six visits to Minnesota. The Saints’ chances of staying within the three-point spread are also slim, seeing as how the defense was one of the worse in yards and points allowed in 2016. The Bless You Boys are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games and 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 road games, but have, in their last six encounters with the Vikes, covered the NFL betting spread only twice.
A Bradford over Troubled Water
Vikings starting quarterback is entering the regular season with a sound body and under the same offensive coordinator, an occurrence which had only transpired once in his eight-year career – between 2012 and 2013 when the then-St. Louis Rams retained the services of OC Brian Schottenheimer . “It’s definitely been interesting,” the QB said via the Star Tribune. “[I’ve] been able to kind of fine-tune an offense. So that’s been really enjoyable for me this offseason, to really focus on what we’re doing on offense. To be able to dedicate my time to that and not be rehabbing or learning a new system.”
But unlike the Saints, who could benefit from a fast start, the Vikings need to do them one better, and not only, which they did last year, have a good start, but sustain the momentum as well. Until proven otherwise, though, the Vikes are characterized by their defensive prowess, as characterized as the Saints are for the offensive adroitness. That being said, New Orleans’ offense, however, when on the road, tends to falter and the NFL betting total has gone, at Minnesota, under in six of the last nine games, and it would appear this time would be the case, too.