The Minnesota Vikings will look to bounce back after an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions their last time out on Sunday Night Football. Due to the tragic California wildfires, Minnesota will play the Los Angeles Rams in Glendale, Arizona. Sean McVay put together the perfect game plan to beat the Vikings during Week 8 and he'll be looking to repeat that level of success tonight.
Ready to start your betting week off with a bang? Our top NFL insider breaks down Monday's Vikings vs. Rams game and gives out his top player prop in this piece. Enjoy the game and best of luck with your action!
Sam Darnold had a terrific season, so much so that he was in the MVP conversation for a good portion of the year. The former USC star threw for 4319 yards and 35 touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a remarkable 14-3 record during the regular season. However, Darnold looked dazed and confused against the Lions' aggressive defense back on January 5th.
Darnold will need to regain some of his mid-season poise and head coach Kevin O'Connell will need to choose more plays that get the ball out of Darnold's hands more quickly. The Vikings have a plethora of weapons, and I expect Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, and TJ Hockenson to have much better performances than they did against Detroit.
Minnesota's defense has been great all year long, as they rank 5th in points allowed and 3rd in third-down conversion rate allowed. Brian Flores has improved this defense so much that he may just get himself another head coaching job this offseason. Jonathan Greenard leads the team with 12 sacks, so the Rams O-line better have a plan to slow him down.
While the Vikings were battling it out for the No. 1 seed, most of the Rams starters were enjoying a nice week of rest. Sean McVay loves to rest his starters during the last week of the season, and this year was no different. While the break probably did LA some good, you have to wonder if rust will be a factor in this one, at least in the early going.
While rust is one concern, you have to wonder what kind of headspace the Rams will be in for this game. The wildfires that are currently ravaging Los Angeles and potentially their homes have to be in the back of their minds. Even still, Matthew Stafford is a seasoned vet and I'm betting he and McVay will do a great job of rallying the troops for this playoff game.
Stafford has his two favorite go-to options healthy again, as Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp continue to terrorize opposing secondaries. Those two stellar wideouts should be able to find plenty of open space against a Minnesota defense that allows 242 passing yards per game (28th).
I hate fading a stud running back like Kyren Williams, but I think it's the best player prop on the board for January 13th. Williams has had a fine season, and he gashed Minnesota for 97 yards on the ground back in Week 8. However, that was horrific spot for the Vikings, and I expect them to be more fired up this time around.
Williams's median rushing yardage is 86.5 overall this year, but I project 72 yds because of Minny's supreme rush defense. The Vikings rank 1st in EPA per rush allowed and 3rd in rushing success rate allowed. After getting gashed by Gibbs and Detroit, look for Flores to stack the box more often to limit Kyren. Let's play the Under here folks!
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Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He played college baseball and has been betting on sports for more than 20 years. He has a degree in Sports Psychology and covers the NFL, CFB, NBA, and MLB for EatWatchBet.