The Minnesota Vikings were the best team in the NFL for the first month and a half of the season, then reality, and a bunch of injuries, set in. Minnesota was the last team to lose a game and that perfect 5-0 record seems like such a long time ago. Now the Vikings are in scramble mode just to keep their fading playoff hopes alive and the best team in the league, the Dallas Cowboys, pay a visit in Week 13 Thursday night action.
This contest in Week 13 of the regular season will go down Thursday, December 1, 2016, at 8:25 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dallas Cowboys -3.5
Minnesota Vikings +3.5
Over/Under 43.5
Odds Analysis
Dallas opened as the only road favorite laying 3.5-points. The Boys had their ATS win streak snapped at nine on Thanksgiving, but they are still one of the best bets in the NFL with a 9-2 overall ATS record. They are 5-0 ATS on the road and have the backing of 72 percent of the early spread wagers. Injuries will take a big toll on the Vikings and seriously hinder their chances of scoring enough points to reach the over on the total. Still, 70 percent of the bets are taking the over on the 43.5 point total.
Injury Report
J.J. Wilcox – Wilcox took over as the starting safety a few weeks ago after Barry Church was shelved with an arm injury. Now, it looks like Wilcox could be iffy for Thursday’s game after sustaining a thigh injury on Thanksgiving Day. The Dallas secondary was shredded by Kirk Cousins but faces a less formidable Minnesota passing game.
Stefon Diggs – A play-making threat in the Vikings vertical attack was missed in a loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving. Minnesota’s attack has featured an abundance of short passes without Diggs and the team lacks the ability to stretch the field with him on the sidelines.
Matchup to Watch
A big reason for the success of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott is the play of the Cowboys’ offensive line. Built over the past several years to protect Tony Romo, the line has played wonderfully to help both star rookies reach heights that have taken Dallas to the upper crust of the NFL.
And just as the Cowboys have risen to boast one of the stronger offenses in the game behind a stellar line, the Vikings are headed in the opposite direction. Minnesota’s offensive line took another blow on Thursday when starting center Joe Berger was sidelined with a concussion and guard Jeremiah Sirles left with a hip injury. The Vikings did very little behind the makeshift unit and were forced to play a quick pitch and catch game with Bradford and his receivers. Bradford averaged less than 3.5 yards per attempt against the Lions and while the quick hitters kept the quarterback from getting sacked, they did little to move the team. Minnesota converted just two of 10 third down chances. Short passes aren’t going to help the Vikings keep up with Dallas’ potent offense.
Free ATS Pick
Dallas has faced some of the best defenses in the league and has just kept rolling. The Cowboys chewed up the Ravens a few weeks back, did a number on the Eagles in Week 8 and the balanced effort allowed them to hold off the Redskins on Thanksgiving. Questions remain on the defensive side of the ball for the Boys, but with an offense that scores nearly 30 points per game and controls the ball with the NFL’s second-best ground attack, opponents are often playing catch up, leaving Dallas to prevent the big plays while giving up chunks of yards.
Minnesota will need its offense to find a way to move the football and score some points. If not, Elliott and the O line will wear down a pretty good Vikings defense and roll in the second half. Minnesota has to take some shots against a thin Cowboys secondary and they’ll hit a few to hang close. But in the end, the Cowboys have too much firepower and the Vikings will fail to keep up.
NFL Odds: Cowboys 24, Vikings 20
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