Vikings vs. Saints Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
No Thursday NFL game in Week 16 due to Christmas Eve. Thursday games are finished for the 2020 regular season; interesting that the NFL opted to leave Christmas Eve night empty but put a game on Christmas Day opposite what is the NBA’s biggest day of its regular season.
Incidentally, if this game is played as scheduled on Friday it will mark the first time in NFL history there has been at least one game in season on every single day of the week. Usually, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays are off limits, but the coronavirus/holiday changed things in 2020.
NFL Week 16 Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Minnesota and New Orleans have split the past 10 games overall, including playoffs, with the Vikings covering in six of those 10. The Vikes have handed the Saints two of the most gut-wrenching postseason losses in the past few years. Last January in a Wild-Card Round game in New Orleans, Kirk Cousins hit Kyle Rudolph on a four-yard TD pass early in overtime for a 26-20 win – even though it looked like Rudolph committed offensive pass interference.
In the Divisional Round following the 2017 season, the Vikings beat the visiting Saints 29-24 on the “Minneapolis Miracle” – a 61-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs with no time remaining. Neither Keenum nor Diggs is with the Vikings these days.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota’s playoff hopes all but died Sunday in a 33-27 home upset loss to Chicago, and missing the postseason could mean the firing of Coach Mike Zimmer. The Bears, not exactly an offensive juggernaut, punted only once, on the opening possession – the Vikes were without excellent injured linebacker Eric Kendricks. Minnesota had no trouble moving the ball itself with 407 yards and 26 first downs.
Rookie sensation Justin Jefferson, who probably finishes second in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting to Chargers QB Justin Herbert, had eight catches for 104 yards and now has 73 catches for 1,182 yards and seven scores on the season. Dalvin Cook had 132 yards and a TD on 24 carries and remains second in the league with 1,484 yards rushing. His 16 total TDs are also second. The Vikings are 0-5 ATS in their past five games.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints welcomed back quarterback Drew Brees from a four-game injury absence for Sunday’s potential Super Bowl 55 preview vs. Kansas City, which was a 32-29 road winner – preventing the Saints from clinching the NFC South for one more week and basically ending any shot they had at the conference’s top overall seed. Brees was rusty in completing just 15 of 34 with a pick but he did have three TD throws. Star wideout Michael Thomas, the 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, missed the game with an ankle injury and is done for the rest of the regular season. He’ll be good to go in the playoffs. The Saints are 4-1 ATS in their past five vs. the NFC.
MIN
NO