After a confidence-building win in last week’s preseason opener, things get more difficult for the Raiders facing a Minnesota Vikings team that has yet to lose a preseason contest under second-year head coach Mike Zimmer.
ODDS
The Vikings are 2-0 ATS this postseason and opened as a 5-point favorite at home against the Raiders. The total surfaced at 39.5.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Derek Carr should see a similar workload to the one he had in last week’s victory over the Rams, when he played two series completing 6 of 9 passes with an interception. The Raiders’ quarterbacks were so efficient even fourth stringer Cody Fajardo saw action. Former Viking Christian Ponder was brought in to be Carr’s backup, but he’s getting a strong push from third-year player Matt McGloin, who had the best numbers last week going 10 of 11 for 104 yards and a touchdown. Ponder is expecting to hear boos from the Minnesota crowd after spending the last four years with the Vikings. He never developed into the player the team thought after taking him with the 12th overall pick in the 2011 draft.
Coach Mike Zimmer hasn’t said how much Teddy Bridgewater or the Vikings’ other three quarterbacks would play against the Raiders. Bridgewater has looked sharp in both preseason victories, completing 12 of 14 passes for 130 yards with a 105.4 quarterback rating. He has yet to work into the second quarter. Backup Shaun Hill had a successful preseason debut last week, completing 8 of 9 passes for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Zimmer did say Hill will “get some plays this week.” An extra exhibition game gives the team more time to evaluate Taylor Heinicke and Mike Kafka, who are competing for the No. 3 job.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
With these teams set to play in Week 10 of the regular season, don’t look for the coaches to divulge too much information during the preseason. We’re unlikely to see multiple sets on offense while defensively both teams will likely play straight up. Raiders’ coach Jack Del Rio would like to see receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree get more involved. The Raiders will extend the reps for the first-team offense to make that happen. After losing another player to a pectoral injury this week, the Vikings and coach Mike Zimmer are examining why so many players have suffered the same injury. Offensive lineman Carter Bykowski is the latest to go down, not only depleting the Vikings depth on the O line, but creating plenty of concern for the team’s medical staff.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“It’s not ideal to play a preseason game and then play that team later in the year. Every now and then it happens with the scheduling. Both teams have the same body of work to go through and will have the same experience, so it’s not an advantage for one or the other.” – Raiders coach Jack Del Rio
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
The Vikings had one extra game to work on roster projections and lineup battles. That added day hasn’t resolved the issue at middle linebacker. In their final day of practice before their third preseason game, the Vikings will continue to sort out the situation at the position. Audie Cole, Gerald Hodges and Eric Kendricks have all gotten first-team work this week and coach Zimmer said the three will likely rotate during the game with the Raiders.
INJURIES
The Vikings will be without defensive tackle Shamar Stephen for the rest of the preseason after he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Stephen played 414 snaps as a rookie becoming a regular piece of the team’s defensive line rotation. Safety Antone Exum is dealing with a hamstring issue and will likely not play against the Raiders.
Oakland’s offense will be without backup running back Roy Helu Jr., tight end Clive Walford and receiver Andre Holmes. The defense will miss linebacker Sio Moore.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
While the Raiders got a win last week, there’s still plenty of work to do for a club that won just three games last season. To build a winning culture, Del Rio has to get wins, he did last week, but going on the road to face the Vikings is another story. Minnesota has the tools and depth to be a player in the NFC and coach Zimmer puts a lot of emphasis on preseason work – his undefeated record in the preseason proves that.
Minnesota 31, Oakland 13
The NFL betting lines for this Saturday game were first available at BookMaker sportsbook. The Vikings were pegged as 5-point chalk while the total opened at 39.5. Live wagering during commercials offers adjusted moneylines, totals and spreads. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
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