Green Bay Packers (0-0 0-0 ATS) at Minnesota Vikings (0-0 0-0 ATS)
The NFL season kicks off in the Land of 10,000 Lakes between two bitter NFC North rivals when the Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings are the slight 3-point favorite against the Packers with a total sitting at 46.
The line has changed a tad, as when the line opened the Vikings were at -3.5 with a total of 47.
Last season the Packers beat the Vikings twice winning 23-10 on the road in their second-to-last game of the season.
There has been no lack of drama for the Packers in the off-season. There have been many rumblings that Aaron Rodgers is not a happy camper after the team did not take a WR in a draft loaded at that position and in the first round even traded up to take QB Jordan Love.
Minnesota had a relatively quiet off-season and while star RB Dalvin Cook threatened to hold out that did not happen. The team made the playoffs last season, and many experts are picking them to win the NFC North this season.
Last season the Packers were 11-7 ATS with an O/U record of 8-10 and the Vikings were 10-8 ATS with an O/U record of 9-9.
While the home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight games between these teams the Packers covered in Minnesota last season.
Can the Star Shine Bright?
The Packers did not help Rodgers much in the off-season, but it is still a Rodgers, who passed for over 4,000 yards last season with 26 TD and only 4 INT. He has a legit #1 WR in Davante Adams but it falls off after that and while the team picked up WR Devin Funchess there are issues on the outside.
With all the press focusing on Rodgers and the passing game the run game is still vital in Green Bay. Aaron Jones was more than legit last season rushing for 1,084 yards and adding 474 receiving yards.
Green Bay has Rodgers but is he happy with his team that drafted a QB in the first round and did not pick up any WR? In a crazy stat, Rodgers has 364 passing TD’s in his career and only one has gone to a player drafted in the first round.
The Packers’ D had issues against the run last season. While they only faced Dalvin Cook once last season and he rushed for 154 yards Green Bay still won. In the two games facing Minnesota last season, the Packers only gave up 26 points.
Minnesota’s Time is Now
The Vikings have a solid squad and the time is now to make a deep playoff run. Kirk Cousins had a quiet yet pretty solid 2019 campaign with 3,603 yards with 26 TD and only 6 INT the team is still a run-first team. That may be even more so the case this season with the team shipping star WR Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills.
The Vikings need a bounce-back season from Adam Thielen and also need some other wideouts top step up.
Minnesota ranked sixth in the league last season un rushing yards and Cook rushed for over 1,100 yards with 13 TD in 14 games. He will face a Green Bay run D that has issues and was torched in the NFC title game last season.
Minnesota’s defense was a middle of the pack one last season. While picking up DE Yannick Ngakoue was a great move the secondary is very young and unproven and facing Rodgers that may hurt big time.
Our Prediction
The Vikings are 4-0 ATS in their last four Week 1 games and the Packers are 4-1 ATS in their last five Week 1 games.
The spotlight will be on Rodgers in this game and for the season and I think he will shine. That will start in this game, as he will light up the young Minnesota secondary and the Packers will run the ball well. This game will be a close one but Green Bay will come out with the W in the season opener and take charge early in the race for the NFC North title.
PICK: Packers +3