The last game of a busy day in the NFL comes as ever in the Sunday Night Football which this week takes us to Colorado as two teams who have suddenly found some form meet when the Denver Broncos take on the Minnesota Vikings.
The Broncos are probably still behind the eight-ball in terms of being on course for a playoff spot but they are still early in the Sean Payton reign. The Vikings are very much in the hunt though and they’ll look to maintain that on Sunday night.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos made a very slow start to the season, which isn’t necessarily a surprise when a change in coach comes around, but they have picked up recently. At one stage they were 1-5 for their season but three wins in succession have got them back to 4-5 and while they are still outside the playoff picture, if they are able to win this one then they could force their way into it. Defeat here leaves them with an uphill struggle though.
The impressive thing about the Broncos is that they haven’t beaten three rags to launch this spell for form. Green Bay Packers might have been a match many would have expected them to win but I doubt too many had them down as beating the Kansas City Chiefs and then the Buffalo Bills. Beating those latter two is one thing but to beat them for the concession of just 31 points is mightily impressive and shows their defence is doing good things, which in turn has released the offense to improve.
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Minnesota Vikings
If anything the season of the Minnesota Vikings has been even more impressive, not just because they have more wins than their opponents here but also because they were initially without their stud offensive option and then latterly they have been without their quarterback with Kirk Cousins being done for the season. Such is the quality that Justin Jefferson provides the Vikings can still function even with backup quarterbacks.
Much like the Broncos, the Vikings were going nowhere fast when they were 1-4 for their season but they have come alive in their second block of five matches, winning them all, and now they are hunting down the Detroit Lions in the race for the NFC North title. Minnesota have had a couple of wins that you would have expected in that time but their victory over the San Francisco 49ers caught the eye. In this winning run only one team has put up 20 points on them.
Betting
A few weeks ago this would have felt like a bit of a weird Sunday Night Football but suddenly it looks like a decent match between two sides who are in good form and who both need to win. I have to say I am beginning to think there is something in this Denver Broncos side but I’d like to see them win as a favourite before I back them to do it. I’m in no rush to back a backup Minnesota Vikings quarterback on the road on primetime though.
The one area of this game where I feel we can exploit from a betting point of view is the Denver run defence. It has been average at best all season and given the situation of being on the road and on primetime I would expect the Vikings to put the ball into the hands of the running back on a number of occasions which makes me think that Alexander Mattison can cover a rushing yards line of just 36.5. Since the opening week he has had double digit carries in five matches and covered this line in four of them. Denver are averaging 117.3 rushing yards per game against them and if the Vikings get in front I expect them to exploit the run game. Minnesota can spread the carries around but if Mattison gets double digit carries I expect him to cover this line.
Tips
Back A.Mattison – Over 36.5 rushing yards for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Bet365
