Vegas Dave's Monday Night Football Pick w/ Write Up (8/31)
With Brett Favre lined up to start the entire first half, there should be plenty of fireworks when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Houston Texans monday night.
The preseason has always been about ironing out the wrinkles on your team to get prepared for the regular season. Goofy play-calling and odd formations always find their way into preseason games as coaches try to figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what players are best suited for the team.
As such, when Vikings head coach Brad Childress made the announcement that Brett Favre would be starting the entire first half, it seemed pretty clear to me right off the bat that Favre would be throwing the ball a heck of a lot Monday night. During the regular season his gun-slinging ways will likely take a back seat to Minnesota’s powerful running game, but here in the preseason, what better chance to test that arm out?
The Vikings know what they have in Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Peterson is arguably the best back in the game today, and Taylor is an excellent reserve, averaging four yards per carry on the ground and racking up 798 all purpose yards and six touchdowns last season. There is no question that come game day, these two will be a fearsome one-two punch.
As for Favre, the question marks still remain; is he healthy enough to give the Vikings that big play passing game that they’ve been lacking? Will he be like the Favre that had the Jets looking like a super bowl contender in the early parts of 2008, or the Favre that gave games away in the later parts? No better time then the preseason to let the old man gun it and see what he’s got left.
I expect the Houston Texans to have a good year this year with a very capable offense. As such, the over looks like a pretty good play to me here; if Favre is on and is connecting on huge plays down the field, there will be plenty of scoring. If he isn’t on, there should be plenty of turnovers and incomplete passes, both good for an over bet.
If you are like me and expect Favre having a lousy game to be more likely, than Houston -3.0 also looks pretty good. After last season’s collapse, I’m really having trouble buying into the fact that he will magically be interception free and playing like it’s the 1990’s again. Considering how much I respect the Texans anyway, they seem like a good pick at home anyway; but Favre having a bad first half would certainly help.
The Picks: Strongly recommend the Over 39 (-110), like the Houston Texans -3.0 (-120).
Good Luck!
