[VegasDave]

How many times do double digit favorites have to cover and outright win before you realize there is more to capping pro football then the stats/numbers?

If there was a formulaic equation you could use to just number crunch all the stats and spit out a winner, the game would be simple. Everyone would win. There is a reason why these games sometimes seem impossible to predict.

Unlike in college where there are often match-ups that involve two teams where one team is simply largely better at every skill position then the other, in pro football, this is not the case. There are definitely teams with much more skilled players then others, but the drop off is not that huge.

Which means sometimes it comes down to intangibles. Pride, motivation, and quite simply, who wants it more.

Minnesota;

- At 1 - 3, their season hangs in the balance. They came into this year expecting playoffs, and climbing out of a 1 - 4 hole would be extremely difficult. This is essentially a must win for them.

- The Vikings are 0 - 2 on the road both straight up and ATS, while the Saints are 2 - 0 at home straight up and ATS. To you, this might mean the Vikings are a bad road team and the Saints are a good home team and this supports NO -3. To me, this means the Vikings will play that much harder to buck this trend (they know they have to win on the road this season if they are going to succeed), and if anything it will give New Orleans a false sense of security/overconfidence.

- Minnesota has already lost a Monday Night Football game this year. Ask any player, its a totally different atmosphere on Monday Night. Players get up big time for this. Do you think Minnesota wants to be embarrassed with every football fan in the country watching again for the second time in 30 days?

Not to mention the odd spread. Without looking too deeply into this game, you have a high-octane-offense team that the country loves, at home (where everyone knows they play well), against a team with a backup QB and an awful passing defense. Why is this game only 3 points? Mission accomplished; everyone seems to be on the Saints.

New Orleans may very well win and cover tonight. I'm not trying to say I'm an NFL expert or anything... I'm merely saying that as has been proven year in and year out, there is more to capping games then stats and injuries.

In my opinion, reading in between the lines on this game spells out Minnesota ML in bold print.

[ICE-BLOOD]

vikes do need a win here to still have what was supposed to be a good season

[keystonekid]

Here is a key factor in tonight's game. DOMES. Minnesota is a dome team and will be able to handle that more than SF and TB did in NO's. Since they will be playing in their type of environment they may give NO a game. Both teams have an average of 2.5 pts on the PF/PA numbers.

Anybody agree with that?

[ICE-BLOOD]

the dome factor does help

just another reason vikes win

[ryanXL977]

cubs had motivation to eliminate the 100 yrs of futility
cc had motivation to beat philly
every player on every team wants to win every game they play. vikes are one player on offense. one. this is a garbage offense. a great d line, a great rb, and nothing else, on the road

how are they going to win this game unless AP gets 225 yrds

i think the saints may put 15 in the box and handle him

saints can beat tb, they can beat minne

[VegasDave]

cubs had motivation to eliminate the 100 yrs of futility
cc had motivation to beat philly

You can disagree with my here on Minny, I have no trouble with that, but these examples are kind of off.

The 100 years of futility thing actually seems to work less as a motivation factor and more as a deterrence. It is impossible to play loose with that kind of pressure. It is clearly in their heads in Chicago and seems to do a lot more harm then good.

CC was pitching on 3 days rest for the 3rd or 4th straight time. He is a human being. Human beings have limits.

I wasn't saying motivation is the be-all-end-all. I was saying that it is a much bigger factor then people seem to give it credit for.

[ICE-BLOOD]

vikes have extra motivation cause at 1-3 they have more of a sense of urgency

[Always Somethin']

Yah the Saints at home on MNF probably have little motivation.

[etothep]

Yah the Saints at home on MNF probably have little motivation.

along with the fact that the other 3 teams in their division are over 500

[BigBallin]

Not to mention that MIN is the more physical team, on both sides of the ball.

[ICE-BLOOD]

Not to mention that MIN is the more physical team, on both sides of the ball.

gonna kick some who dat azz tonite

[ryanXL977]

saints have motivation not to lose at home with the tough schedule they have left
both teams have motivation to win to make the loffs
factorin in motivation is not part of my capping

insert jokes here