The Minnesota Vikings have one of the more talented rosters in the NFL, and hope to build upon last season’s NFC North title and wild card appearance. They will get a chance at a test run in Week 3 of the preseason against the San Diego Chargers. The Vikings are the more talented team and play at home so it is easy to see why they are the favorites. Even though star running back Adrian Peterson may not see a ton of carries, Minnesota could still emerge with the victory in NFL wagering.
This Week 3 preseason matchup will be held on Sunday, August 28th, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET on FOX at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
San Diego Chargers +4
Minnesota Vikings -4
Over/Under 41.5
Odds Analysis
The Chargers struggled a season ago and have sat veteran quarterback Philip Rivers for the first two preseason games. He’s likely to get some work in this one, but Rivers is more interested in staying healthy than lighting up the scoreboard. That could help the Vikings run out to an early lead, and their defense could maintain it.
Quarterback Rotation
Philip Rivers is getting older but is still one of the top 10 or 15 best quarterbacks in the NFL. He has key receiving weapons Keenan Allen and Antonio Gates back, of which he has a great rapport. Rivers doesn’t need a ton of work to get in a rhythm since he has been playing with his top receivers for so long.
San Diego’s backup is Kellen Clemens, who could see some work, while Zach Mettenberger is the third-stringer. Mettenberger is a former starter who used to play for the Titans and is now trying to find a new home. He is aiming to be the fill-in in case of an injury to Rivers but will need to play well in order to prove he is a better option over Clemens. Mike Bercovici, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Arizona State, is the team’s fourth quarterback but is not expected to make the team.
The Vikings sat starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater last time out but he will likely start this game and play a decent amount. Bridgewater is still a young signal-caller but has shown promise and he could play well against a leaky San Diego defense.
Shaun Hill was 10-of-17 for 129 yards a season ago and is a stable backup quarterback. Hill can’t win shootouts but he is a smart player who can play well in these types of situations going against young defenders. Joel Stave is the team’s other quarterback. He was 6-of-14 for 67 yards last time out.
Coaching History
Third-year Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has a 10-1 record in the preseason with his only preseason loss coming to Titans last November. Zimmer is 2-0 on the 2016 preseason as well. His team has been on the winning end of some close games, and Zimmer is a very good coach who has done well in both the preseason and regular season.
Chargers coach Mike McCoy has a far less impressive preseason resume, going 6-9 in four seasons at the helm in San Diego. He finished at 2-2 in 2014 and 2015, his best preseason performances to date.
Free ATS Pick
The Vikings are a better team and play at home. The Chargers have the better quarterback in Philip Rivers, but he may not need to play the entire first half to be ready for the regular season. Bridgewater will want to be in tune with his receivers heading into the start of the year so he could attempt a solid number of passes. The Vikings defense could shut down the San Diego offense early, which would give Minnesota a good chance at pulling away for the win in NFL wagering.
NFL Odds: Vikings 21, Chargers 18
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