Vikings favored to get back on track against Raiders in Week 14
The Minnesota Vikings (6-6) might be on a two-game losing streak, but they have a very good chance of getting back on track against the Las Vegas Raiders (5-7) in Week 14. Vegas -not the Raiders, mind you- thinks they'll do just that, too. Per Betonline.ag, the Vikings opened as 2.5-point road favorites, which is a […]
The Minnesota Vikings (6-6) might be on a two-game losing streak, but they have a very good chance of getting back on track against the Las Vegas Raiders (5-7) in Week 14.
Vegas -not the Raiders, mind you- thinks they'll do just that, too. Per Betonline.ag, the Vikings opened as 2.5-point road favorites, which is a pretty decent opening spread. Home teams are usually given three points off the bat, so it's more of a 5.5-point flip in favor of Minnesota. Considering the Vikes' current QB concerns, that's a tip of the cap from the books. Bettors are believers, as well. The spread has risen a half-point since the line opened.
The Vikings defense needs to play its game if Minnesota wants to win
The Vikings defense has allowed 20+ points just three times in the last nine games after allowing 20+ points in the first three games of the season. It's clear the players are starting to find their footing in Brian Flores' system and it's helping them win games.
The defense should be even more stable coming off the bye week. They'll get an extra week to prep for Raiders rookie QB Aidan O'Connell and an offense that features some major firepower, but doesn't live up to its potential. The Raiders average a measly 16.8 points per game, which is sixth-lowest in the NFL. It's not like they're overcoming some early, low-scoring games, either. O'Connell and co. are averaging 15.3 points per game over their last three contests.
If the Vikings defense doesn't show up and allows the Raiders to score a bunch of points then it's anyone's guess as to what happens. The Vikings offense has been pretty sluggish over the last couple of weeks, with turnovers really holding the unit back.
The team simply can't rely on the offense to be the catalyst behind a win, even if it is a talented unit. The receiving duo of Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson is a very effective pairing and then there's some talent in the backfield with Ty Chandler and Alexander Mattison. Throw in a decent offensive line and it's easy to see why the Vikings offense could score points if there's a capable QB behind center.
A Vikings win would increase their playoff chances by 14%, which is a nice jump, itself. Right now, they currently have a 42% chance to make it, but the odds rise to 56% with a win over the Raiders.
So, while Kevin O'Connell gets that figured out, he needs Flores and his crew to carry the torch into the postseason. And that all starts on Sunday with the Raiders.
