Minnesota Vikings Finally Favored in Week 5…?
The Minnesota Vikings were not supposed to be good this season. At least that’s what you were led to believe if you listened to all of the national outlets. Now five weeks into the regular season, Kevin O’Connell’s team is favored against a potential Super Bowl contender.
London calls Minnesota Vikings favorites
In Week 1 the Minnesota Vikings found themselves as slight favorites against the New York Giants. Daniel Jones is not a good quarterback, and Brian Daboll’s team is a bottom-feeder. They went in and handled business in that spot. The gauntlet of their schedule was then set to kick off, but Sam Darnold and his teammates didn’t care. Now 4-0 and heading to London, the oddsmakers are finally starting to give them some respect.
The #Vikings open as 2.5 point favorites against the #NYJets in London on Sunday.
— Ted (@tlschwerz) September 30, 2024
The Vikings were 2.5 point road underdogs against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. They now get that same line, but to their credit, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this week. The New York Jets came into the year with high aspirations, but Aaron Rodgers has failed in living up to them thus far.
Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Near-Collapse Victory @ Packers
Typically home field advantage is worth three points on the spread. The Vikings are the home team, but London isn’t exactly the friendly confines of U.S. Bank Stadium. To be fair, Minnesota has never lost in London, so 4-0 is on the line there as well.
Can the Jets play spoiler to the Vikings?
Kevin O’Connell always believed in this version of Sam Darnold. He believed because of the situation Minnesota has the former first round pick in. The Vikings quarterback has the opportunity to follow a victory over the Packers by beating their former quarterback.
Broncos defense played another strong game and was able to create pressure on Aaron Rodgers. The Jets were 4-17 on 3rd downs and Rodgers was sacked 5 times pic.twitter.com/wpJbR9JTwa
— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 29, 2024
To say Rodgers has been pedestrian this season would be putting it lightly. Similar to Kirk Cousins, he is coming off an achilles injury. Against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the Jets signal caller was unable to lead his offense to a touchdown. Despite Sean Payton’s group looking rough thus far, it was New York that faltered as 8.5 point home favorites.
With the third pick in the first round of the 2018 #NFLDraft, the New York Jets select Sam Darnold, QB, USC pic.twitter.com/bpQ3l0Vo1s
— PFF (@PFF) April 27, 2018
Darnold, like Aaron Jones, also gets the revenge factor this week. He won’t play the game in New York, but it was a Jets franchise that stunted his career right out of the gate. This will be personal for him, and he has the weapons to bring a victory back stateside.
Related: Bill Belichick Points Finger at Jets; Says Everyone Likes Sam Darnold
It doesn’t look like this Jets team is destined for the greatness they believed they were. Minnesota is trending in the opposite direction. It may be time to expect favoritism more often than not.
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