Patriots vs. Vikings Point Spread: NFL Week 12 Odds, Prediction
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Edgar Chaput
Two teams who have played better than expected this season will clash in Minneapolis, although the Vikings did suffer a bad setback in Week 11.
A close contest is expected, as the experts view the Vikings as slight -3 favourites on the NFL odds. The over-under is 42.5 points scored.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
New England and Minnesota only meet once every four years. The Pats are riding a five-game winning streak, but there is a supremely important caveat: Tom Brady quarterbacked his team to win each time. Ironically, the Vikings had a different starting QB every time.
Bill Belichick has guided his men to a respectable 6-3-1 record against the spread this season. Not only that but the team has turned things around after not covering in any of their first three contests. As the wins have piled up, they’ve been favoured more frequently, including four times in a row, excluding this game.
For those who believe there are smoke and mirrors to the Vikings’ success this year, they can theoretically point to the team’s 4-5-1 record against the spread. Granted, actually winning games matters more, and Kevin O’Connell has guided his side to a splendid 8-2 record so far. Still, it’s interesting to note that in games for which they were favoured by 4 or more points, they’re 1-3.
New England Patriots
Don’t look now, but the Patriots are teasing their AFC rivals with a playoff push. Belichick has guided his unit to enough winning ways to remain a threat whilst doing so in crazy fashion. They don’t gain many yards per game (25th), they don’t pass for many (24th), and they’re a middle-of-the-pack running team (17th).
What they are good at is taking advantage of opportunities given to them. You can only play your schedule, and the Patriots have enjoyed games at the Jets, at home to a ridiculous Colts team, and then at home to the Jets in one of the strangest games of the year. On a Week 11 filled with curiously low-scoring games, the New England-New York tilt took the cake. The defence bamboozled Zach Wilson and company all afternoon, limiting the damage to 6 first downs(!), 3-14 third-down efficiency, 103 total yards, and 3 points against. The offence was better (297 total yards) but couldn’t score. With the match tied 3-3 and only a few seconds left, punt returner Marcus Jones took the ball 84 yards to the house, gifting his team a 10-3 victory.
Minnesota Vikings
Teams with quick turnarounds from Sunday to Thursday night generally enjoy the experience more when both tests are at home. That’s rarely been as true for the current Vikings, who could use a strong home performance after experiencing some bewildering football in recent weeks.
This 8-2 squad is difficult to explain. In Week 9 they trail at Washington by 10 and storm back for a win. In Week 10 they trail at the Bills by 17 and pull off the most spectacular upsets of the season. Then, feeling good with an 8-1 record, they return home for a Week 11 game against NFC challenger the Cowboys and are trampled on 40-3. There’s something funny about this 8-2 group. they rank outside the top 10 in three of the four major offensive categories: points per game (13th), total yards per game (18th), pass yards per game (10th), rush yards per game (24th).
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