Just when you thought the Minnesota Vikings could upset Green Bay as NFC North’s best, they disappointed with a 30-13 loss at home on Sunday. The Falcons are slowly losing their grip on a possible Wild Card berth themselves after three-straight losses heading into Week 12. Which team finds its way back on the win column? Read on as we take a look at this crucial NFC showdown.
Line: Minnesota Vikings (+1) at Atlanta Falcons (-1); total: 45.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Minnesota Vikings (7-3)
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played well, but the rest of the Vikings couldn’t give him the support he needed in a 30-13 loss to Green Bay on Sunday. Bridgewater passed for 296 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked six times. The offensive line will need a much better performance if they are to give their young signal-caller a chance to throw good shots downfield.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Vikings’ offensive line has a pretty good matchup against the listless Atlanta pass rush this coming Sunday, as the Falcons are tied for a league-low 12 sacks through Week 11. Giving Bridgewater plenty of time in the pocket should help him find two of his top targets in wide receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Kyle Rudolph. Diggs has been one of Bridgewater’s go-to receivers this season with a team-high 573 receiving yards, while Rudolph leads the team with four touchdowns.
Winning the battle in the trenches on offense also gives Minnesota another dimension of attack led by Adrian Peterson. The Vikings’ premier running back has already crossed the 1,000-yard mark this season, but was held to a disappointing 45 yards and a score on 13 carries Sunday. Peterson may be in for another rough outing against Atlanta’s league-best rushing defense (87.4 yards allowed per game) this coming weekend.
On the other side of the ball, the Vikings could face a very one-dimensional Falcons offense after running back DeVonta Freeman suffered a concussion Sunday. Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen needs to be at the top of his game to hound Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. Right now, Griffen ranks in the top 10 of the league with his 6.5 sacks for the season.
The Vikings are 4-0 ATS in their last four on the road.
Betting on the Atlanta Falcons (6-4)
Things are going from bad to worse for the Atlanta Falcons after losing their third-straight game, 24-21, at home against Indianapolis on Sunday. Quarterback Matt Ryan was intercepted three times – one for a pick-six – but he still managed to rack up 280 yards and three touchdowns.
Wide receiver Julio Jones had a monster game with nine catches for 160 yards. However, no other wide receiver had more than 36 yards among the Falcons’ receiving corps. Bear in mind that Minnesota has a strong passing defense, one that has been limiting opponents to just 224.8 yards per game.
It’s going to be a definite problem having to replace star running back Devonta Freeman after he suffered a concussion in the loss to Indianapolis. Freeman ran for a whopping 43 yards on just three carries Sunday before leaving the game, but his replacement, Tevin Coleman, could not deliver the same big-play ability with just 48 yards on 17 carries. Expect Atlanta’s rushing offense to struggle without Freeman in the backfield.
On the other side of the ball, the Falcons could have a big day intercepting second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Atlanta ranks sixth in the league with 12 interceptions through Week 11. Cornerback Robert Alford and safeties William Moore and Ricardo Allen lead the secondary with two interceptions each, with Alford taking one to the house for a pick-six. Linebacker Paul Worrilow also has two picks this season.
The Falcons are 0-3 ATS in their last three games at home.
Writer’s Prediction
Bridgewater has a good passing day, while Peterson rumbles for big gains in a solid overall effort. The Vikings send Atlanta to their fourth-straight loss. Create a betting account now and catch the intensity of NFL action as the playoffs inch closer.
