The Minnesota Vikings won the NFC North a season ago and looked primed to challenge for it again in 2016 with most of the same key pieces. That expectation was shattered during a practice late in the preseason when quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a gruesome knee injury which is expected to keep him out all of 2016.
The Vikings didn’t sit idly by, quickly trading first- and fourth-round selections to the Philadelphia Eagles for Sam Bradford. It remains to be seen if he will start Week 1 of the regular season against the Tennessee Titans, and that decision could help swing the odds one way or the other.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 1 game is set for Sunday, September 11, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at Nissan Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
The quarterback changes in Minnesota have pulled the odds off the board. The Vikings figured to be a road favorite with Bridgewater under center but now it’s uncertain who will take the reins in the first week.
Shaun Hill is a veteran who has been in the system longer, while Bradford has more talent. The Vikings haven’t said who will get the start and may opt to keep people guessing. Bradford will need to learn the playbook in a hurry in order to get the start.
Expect the over-under scoring total to be pretty low since both teams could run the ball plenty in this one. Tennessee clearly will get a boost in the spread without a healthy Bridgewater under center for the Vikings, but Minnesota could still be favored.
Injury Report
Kendall Wright-- The Titans wide receiver has missed several weeks with a hamstring issue and his availability for the season opener is in doubt. Wright had more than 1,000 yards receiving in his second season but caught only 36 passes for 408 yards in 10 games last year. Wright can be a dangerous slot receiver when healthy, but he may not be full speed if he plays in this one.
Matchup to Watch
The Vikings’ quarterback issues will put the onus on their defense to hold tough. Luckily for Minnesota, it is relying on a formidable group. The Vikings allowed 18.9 points per game a season ago and return standouts like linebacker Anthony Barr and safety Harrison Smith.
The Titans have a promising quarterback in Marcus Mariota and added the 1-2 running back punch of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry in the offseason. Tennessee would like to play smash-mouth football and then hit deep on play-action, but it is predicated on running the ball consistently.
The Vikings will be able to stack the box, as Mariota didn’t show last season that he is deadly through the air. Tennessee may not need a ton of points to pull out this win but it has to be able to move the ball consistently against the stout Vikings front.
Free ATS Pick
The Vikings’ Super Bowl hopes took a blow with the injury to Bridgewater, but the trade for Bradford should help. However, he will either be limited or on the bench for the first week, and it’s a huge break for the Titans to attempt to pull out this home win.
Tennessee is not projected to be a playoff team, but any success early can help a group which is still in the midst of a rebuild. While this certainly give the Titans a better chance, the right pick is the Vikings.
They were one of the better teams in the NFL last year and built around a strong running game and defense. Adrian Peterson is back to lead the ground game and if a combination of Hill and Bradford can be competent in the opener, a road win will be in the cards.
NFL Odds: Vikings 20, Titans 14
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