Simulation Picks
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Understanding Public and Money
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Expert Picks
The Vikings are set to open their new stadium with uncertainty at the quarterback position. Even so, they'll need to combat a Packers team that showed vast strides from the team that lost to the Vikings in Week 17 last season. Yet, I'm still leery of the immense amount of pressure on Aaron Rodgers to deliver difficult plays. Balance was a key asset to the Vikings surprise season last year, and their win last week. Grab the Vikings to open their new stadium in grand fashion.
Always tread lightly into the land of road favorites, particularly when the home team is christening a new stadium at night. But what is the worth of Aaron Rodgers compared to either Shaun Hill or Sam Bradford at QB? Seven points? The Pack would rather prepare for either possibility than a healthy Teddy Bridgewater. Green Bay held the Jaguars to a rushing average of 1.8 yards Sunday, which was better than RB Adrian Peterson’s output (1.6) against Tennessee. That spells trouble for A.P. and Minnesota.
Winning on the road in the NFL is tough. The Packers will attempt to win back-to-back road games to start the season as they visit the Vikings in week 2. Sam Bradford is expected to make his Vikings debut on Sunday Night. I'm not convinced he is ready to lead this team yet and my simulations agree with Green Bay winning by 6.5 points. I'll put my money on Aaron Rodgers and company early in the season while the Vikings figure out their quarterback situation.
This game will go to -3 and maybe higher just because it's an isolated night game and the public loves the Packers. Yes, the number should be -1.5 based on the ratings, so I'm still laying a bad number, but I don't see Minnesota winning this game even with Sam Bradford expected to start. The Vikes' offense was awful last week, and it wasn't just because of Shaun Hill. They were fortunate their defense came to the rescue. Last season when the Vikes were on a 8-0 ATS run, they had a Week 11 home game with the Packers in their first real challenge against an elite team, and lost 30-13. Green Bay by 7 or more.