Houston Texans vs. Minnesota Vikings Betting Preview
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
When: Sunday, October 1, 2016, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Houston Texans (+7) at Minnesota Vikings (-7); total: 40.0 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Writer’s Pick: Minnesota Vikings (-7)
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Betting on the Houston Texans (+7)
Although the Houston Texans (3-1) won their first game without stud defensive lineman J.J. Watt, there are still some pressing concerns that they should address from their 27-20 win over the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday.
For one, the offense has got to improve given that the defense is playing without its proverbial heart and soul in Watt. Houston appeared to be in control of Week 4’s game by jumping out to a 14-0 lead, but a pair of picks and stagnant production by Brock Osweiler in the second half of the contest kept the Titans in the game. Osweiler has now thrown six interceptions through just four games into the season.
If it wasn’t for wideout rookie Will Fuller’s tie-breaking 67-yard punt return in the third quarter, the Texans might’ve lost Sunday’s game. Fuller also hauled in seven catches for 81 yards and a touchdown in a day when star receiver DeAndre Hopkins was limited to just one catch for four measly yards.
But perhaps the strangest statistic about Houston’s offense has been Lamar Miller’s reluctance to find the end zone. The team’s prized back has run for no less than 80 yards in each of the first four games this season, yet he’s never had a rushing touchdown at that. Even worse is that Miller will now face the Vikings’ stout D on the road, which is the ninth-best team in the league against the run at 82.5 rushing yards allowed per game.
To top it all off, the Texans have never beaten the Vikes in all three of their previous meetings lifetime (SU/ATS). Houston’s got to find ways to not just contain their opponents from gaining huge yards, but also force some crucial turnovers all the more. While the team ranks fifth in the league in yards allowed to the opposition (287.8 per game), it only has five takeaways thus far, which is three less than the turnovers that its own offense has already given up.
Betting on the Minnesota Vikings (-7)
Believe it or not, the undefeated, rag-tag group of the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) are for real. They further flexed their defensive muscles on Monday night by shutting down the high-flying New York Giants, 24-10. The Giants, mind you, entered the game with the second-most offensive yards gained this season.
Just about every cog in Minny’s defensive machine is finely oiled, this time with cornerback Xavier Rhodes coming up huge with a timely pick off of Eli Manning. The team even held New York’s coveted wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., to a career-low 23 receiving yards on three catches. As a unit, the Vikings D has forced an NFL-best nine turnovers this season and is now also first overall in points allowed per contest (18.5).
What’s more encouraging about the 2016 Vikings is that their offense is actually very efficient even without team MVP Adrian Peterson in the backfield. Quarterback Sam Bradford finished with a humble 262 yards and a TD on 26-of-36 passing on Monday, but he also went a third-straight game without throwing an interception and has yet to throw one all season. Bradford also turned all of his team’s red-zone opportunities against the Giants into touchdowns.
In turn, with a methodical offense and an imposing defense, Minnesota is tops in the league with a plus-eight turnover ratio. The Texans will definitely be in for a rough afternoon in the newly-minted U.S. Bank Stadium at that, as the Vikes are a perfect 2-0 there this year and have won seven of their last 10 home games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
The Vikings (-7) cruise to another well-deserved victory, 26-17.
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