Not much was expected from either the Washington Redskin or the Minnesota Vikings this season, especially after their marquee superstars were unexpectedly forced out of their lineups. But lo and behold, both teams are coming off wins and are slowly climbing their way from the bottom of their respective divisions. There can only be one team that continues its winning ways. Which one will it be?
Similarly, one four-game winning streak is sure to fall when Peyton Manning’s Broncos visit Tom Brady’s Pats. Preview that battle between AFC front-runners here. In the meantime, read up on this matchup of scrappy NFC upstarts.
[sc:Football ]Washington Redskins vs. Minnesota Vikings Betting Preview
Where: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
When: Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings- view all NFL lines
Betting on the Washington Redskins
In a span of two weeks, the Washington Redskins have gone from NFC East cellar dwellers to the team with the longest active winning streak in the division. What’s more surprising is that third-string quarterback Colt McCoy is the one leading their recent two-game winning streak.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The fifth-year career backup has been lights out since taking over for the ineffective Kirk Cousins as the starter. McCoy has completed 36 of 42 passes (86 percent) for 427 yards and two touchdown (one passing, one rushing) in those two games.
Granted, those were against the not-at-all mighty defenses of the Titans and Cowboys, but wins are wins. One of which was a primetime game as a heavy underdog in hostile territory against a big division rival in Dallas, which definitely counts for a lot.
Even with the looming return of Robert Griffin III, McCoy’s performances may have bought him some more time as the starter under center for their trip to Minnesota.
McCoy has been helped out by the fact that the ‘Skins have finally remembered how to run the football again. Washington has rushed for over 100 yards in back-to-back games, including 123 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys. Look for the Redskins to continue having success on the ground against a Vikings team that is ranked just 27th against the run via DVOA.
But arguably the biggest advantage the Redskins could enjoy against the Vikings lies in their pass rush. The Redskins made life miserable for Tony Romo, sacking the Cowboys QB five times, including one that momentarily knocked him out of the game. They now go up against a rookie quarterback playing behind an O-line that has allowed a sack on 11 percent of dropbacks, by far the worst mark in the league.
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Betting on the Minnesota Vikings
It took over a month, but rookie Teddy Bridgewater has brought the Vikings back to the win column with a 19-13 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Technically, the defense won them the game with a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, but Bridgewater orchestrated a clutch nine-play, 61-yard drive in just over two minutes to secure the overtime-sending field goal.
Bridgewater hasn’t shined as brightly as he did in his 300-yard first start against the Falcons, but he did throw for 241 yards against the Bucs and avoided an interception after throwing five in the previous two weeks. He went to Cordarrelle Patterson early and often, which resulted in the wideout catching six balls for 86 yards, both season-highs.
Patterson hasn’t been the big receiving weapon the Vikings were hoping he’d be this season, but he’s got a chance to build from last week’s breakout game with another big outing against a suspect Redskins secondary ranked 24th against the pass via DVOA.
After allowing 13 sacks against the Lions and Bills, the Vikings O-line played much better as Bridgewater was brought down just once against the Bucs. The young rookie is likely to see more blitzes from Washington, but he showed signs that he can handle the pressure. He went 8-of-13 for 82 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay’s blitz on Sunday.
The Vikings’ own pass rush has been very impressive this season with 28 sacks, tied for second in the league. McCoy has played well for the Redskins, but the Vikings will test just how good he is in dealing with significant pressure.
Writer’s Prediction
McCoy turns back into a pumpkin under the Vikings’ pressure, while Bridgewater provides just enough offense for the Vikings to win and cover at home.
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