Raiders vs. Vikings Total Prediction
A pair of teams that won their season openers but dropped the second game of the year will meet in Minnesota this Sunday when the Vikings host the Raiders at 1:00 p.m. ET. Will the game turn into a defensive struggle?
Game Snapshot
471 Oakland Raiders (+9) at 472 Minnesota Vikings (-9); O/U 43.5
1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, September 22, 2019
U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
Public Betting Trends
According to our NFL Football Public Betting Chart page, the Vikings are receiving 51% of the betting tickets from online sportsbooks.
Oakland Raiders Fantasy Spin
Tyrell Williams (hip) practiced again Thursday. He got in a limited session Wednesday and will probably be listed under the same designation Thursday. Williams is dealing with a hip pointer, though it shouldn’t keep him from suiting up Sunday against the Vikings. Facing a tough road assignment against All-Pro cornerback Xavier Rhodes, this doesn’t figure to be one of his better weeks.
Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Spin
Kirk Cousins completed 14-of-32 passes for 230 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the Vikings’ 21-16, Week 2 loss to the Packers. Cousins also fumbled twice, losing one. Today was a window into why coach Mike Zimmer is so adamant that the Vikings #EstablishTheRun. Both of Cousins’ interceptions were inexcusably poor decisions. The first was forced to Stefon Diggs in triple coverage and batted up into the air. The second was forced to Diggs in triple coverage in the end zone and easily intercepted. They were throws a 31-year-old quarterback on a fully-guaranteed contract simply cannot be making. From a fantasy perspective, Cousins should have had a second touchdown, but it was called back by an extremely ticky tack Dalvin Cook OPI penalty. Cousins’ converted score was a 45-yarder to Diggs that was nearly picked off. Cousins will have some QB2 appeal for next week’s hosting of the Raiders.
NFL Betting Trends
Oakland
The under is 18-7-1 in the Raiders’ last 26 games overall and is 7-3-1 in their last 11 road games.
Minnesota
The under is a perfect 4-0 in the Vikings’ last four games dating back to last season and is 5-1 in their last six home games.
Prediction
The Raiders were able to move the ball in Week 1 against the Broncos, then in the first quarter versus the Chiefs. That said, the facet turned off in the final three quarters against Kansas City as the Raiders couldn’t generate any offense versus a bad Chiefs defense. Now they have to go on the road to take on a pissed off Minnesota defense that shut down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers after allowing 21 points to start the game. After Cousins was a disaster in the fourth quarter in Green Bay last week, looking for Minnesota to get back to the formula it used to beat Atlanta in Week 1: Hand the ball off to Dalvin Cook and play good defense.
NFL Week 3 Prediction: Raiders/Vikings UNDER 43.5