Favre and Vikings face tough Ravens defense
It's still too early to call a game "must-win" for any team, but the Ravens know a third-straight setback will hurt at this stage of the season. Avoiding defeat will mean Baltimore has to be at their best this Sunday on the road in Minnesota against Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the 5-0 Vikings, one of five unbeaten teams left in the NFL standings and playing excellent football in every facet of the game.
It looks like rain will be a factor in NFL games on either coast, but both halves of our Sunday twinbill will be played indoors. It’s been nearly 45 years since the Astrodome opened in Houston, Tex., originally so people could play baseball in relative comfort during the scorching hot and frequently wet summers. Football, luxury suites and $7 beer would follow.
Baltimore at Minnesota (-3, 44.5)
Sunday, Oct 18, 1:00 p.m. (ET) CBS
The Golden Gophers have already left the HHH Metrodome, and the Twins are next, but the Vikings (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) are the primary tenants and plan on sticking around. Both their games at the Dome this year went well over the posted total:
Sept. 27: San Francisco 24, Minnesota 27 (SF +7, 39)
Oct. 5: Green Bay 23, Minnesota 30 (Minnesota –4.5, 46)
The over is 4-1 for the Vikings this year, driven in part by the arrival of QB Brett Favre (nine TDs, two INTs). He’s having one of the better seasons of his career at the tender age of 40; he can’t move as well or throw as deep, but Favre is making smarter choices than ever with a 69.1-percent completion rate and a tiny 1.3-percent interception rate. Again, it’s easy to make smart choices when one of your options is to hand off to RB Adrian Peterson (4.9 yards per carry).
Minnesota has also gotten a fumble return for a TD and a safety out of DE Jared Allen and a 101-yard kick-off return from WR Percy Harvin, not to mention a solid 7-of-8 performance from Ryan Longwell on field goals. Special teams have been a lot more special for the Vikings this year with Harvin handling the kick-off returns. The coverage teams have also improved dramatically from last year’s league-worst unit.
The Ravens (3-2 SU and ATS) weren’t having any trouble putting points up on the board during the first three weeks, but they’ve lost a pair SU and ATS against somewhat stouter defensive clubs in Cincinnati and New England, making QB Joe Flacco (nine TDs, five INTs) look a little more human in the process. The Vikings will be the best defensive team Flacco has faced all season. Good thing he’s got a great offensive line, although it’s weaker on the right side with Michael Oher having to slide over to left tackle to replace the injured Jared Gaither (neck), who’s not expected to play this week.
Chicago at Atlanta (-3.5, 45.5)
Sunday, Oct 18, 8:20 p.m. (ET) NBC
Directing our attention south to the Georgia Dome, the Falcons (3-1 SU and ATS) have received enough support in this matchup to push the betting odds from Atlanta –3 at the open. However, several books are refusing to budge off that magic number, moving the juice instead from –110 to as high as –130. Sure, or you could just take the Falcons at –180 on the moneyline.
Either way, the value would be on the side of the Bears (3-1 SU and ATS). They’ve been electric since that embarrassing four-pick performance by QB Jay Cutler in Week 1, which Chicago nearly had sewn up before losing to the Packers (-4.5) 21-15 in Green Bay. Losing that game and losing popular LB Brian Urlacher (wrist) for the rest of the season had everyone down on the Bears, but that’s typical opening-week overreaction.
You can also count on the betting public to overlook Chicago’s league-best special teams. Rookie WR Johnny Knox did his best Devin Hester impersonation with a 102-yard kick return against the Lions last week. Hester is still returning the occasional punt, and veteran Brad Maynard has dropped half of his 18 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Atlanta’s special teams are weak in comparison except for booming kick-offs provided by Michael Koenen. He put all five of his kick-offs into the end zone for touchbacks during Atlanta’s 28-20 win over Carolina (-6). Koenen gives the Falcons the best field position in the NFL after kicks. They’ll need it Sunday night.
It's still too early to call a game "must-win" for any team, but the Ravens know a third-straight setback will hurt at this stage of the season. Avoiding defeat will mean Baltimore has to be at their best this Sunday on the road in Minnesota against Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the 5-0 Vikings, one of five unbeaten teams left in the NFL standings and playing excellent football in every facet of the game.
It looks like rain will be a factor in NFL games on either coast, but both halves of our Sunday twinbill will be played indoors. It’s been nearly 45 years since the Astrodome opened in Houston, Tex., originally so people could play baseball in relative comfort during the scorching hot and frequently wet summers. Football, luxury suites and $7 beer would follow.
Baltimore at Minnesota (-3, 44.5)
Sunday, Oct 18, 1:00 p.m. (ET) CBS
The Golden Gophers have already left the HHH Metrodome, and the Twins are next, but the Vikings (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) are the primary tenants and plan on sticking around. Both their games at the Dome this year went well over the posted total:
Sept. 27: San Francisco 24, Minnesota 27 (SF +7, 39)
Oct. 5: Green Bay 23, Minnesota 30 (Minnesota –4.5, 46)
The over is 4-1 for the Vikings this year, driven in part by the arrival of QB Brett Favre (nine TDs, two INTs). He’s having one of the better seasons of his career at the tender age of 40; he can’t move as well or throw as deep, but Favre is making smarter choices than ever with a 69.1-percent completion rate and a tiny 1.3-percent interception rate. Again, it’s easy to make smart choices when one of your options is to hand off to RB Adrian Peterson (4.9 yards per carry).
Minnesota has also gotten a fumble return for a TD and a safety out of DE Jared Allen and a 101-yard kick-off return from WR Percy Harvin, not to mention a solid 7-of-8 performance from Ryan Longwell on field goals. Special teams have been a lot more special for the Vikings this year with Harvin handling the kick-off returns. The coverage teams have also improved dramatically from last year’s league-worst unit.
The Ravens (3-2 SU and ATS) weren’t having any trouble putting points up on the board during the first three weeks, but they’ve lost a pair SU and ATS against somewhat stouter defensive clubs in Cincinnati and New England, making QB Joe Flacco (nine TDs, five INTs) look a little more human in the process. The Vikings will be the best defensive team Flacco has faced all season. Good thing he’s got a great offensive line, although it’s weaker on the right side with Michael Oher having to slide over to left tackle to replace the injured Jared Gaither (neck), who’s not expected to play this week.
Chicago at Atlanta (-3.5, 45.5)
Sunday, Oct 18, 8:20 p.m. (ET) NBC
Directing our attention south to the Georgia Dome, the Falcons (3-1 SU and ATS) have received enough support in this matchup to push the betting odds from Atlanta –3 at the open. However, several books are refusing to budge off that magic number, moving the juice instead from –110 to as high as –130. Sure, or you could just take the Falcons at –180 on the moneyline.
Either way, the value would be on the side of the Bears (3-1 SU and ATS). They’ve been electric since that embarrassing four-pick performance by QB Jay Cutler in Week 1, which Chicago nearly had sewn up before losing to the Packers (-4.5) 21-15 in Green Bay. Losing that game and losing popular LB Brian Urlacher (wrist) for the rest of the season had everyone down on the Bears, but that’s typical opening-week overreaction.
You can also count on the betting public to overlook Chicago’s league-best special teams. Rookie WR Johnny Knox did his best Devin Hester impersonation with a 102-yard kick return against the Lions last week. Hester is still returning the occasional punt, and veteran Brad Maynard has dropped half of his 18 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Atlanta’s special teams are weak in comparison except for booming kick-offs provided by Michael Koenen. He put all five of his kick-offs into the end zone for touchbacks during Atlanta’s 28-20 win over Carolina (-6). Koenen gives the Falcons the best field position in the NFL after kicks. They’ll need it Sunday night.
