The Las Vegas Raiders get set to clash against the Minnesota Vikings when the two teams meet in week 1 of the NFL Preseason on Saturday afternoon in U.S. Bank Stadium from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They kick it off at 4 pm. Both teams are looking to make some noise this season.
Bookmaker has installed the Raiders as a solid - 3 1/2 road favorite.
The Raiders did not win many games in 2023, but they seem to have found their head coach in Antonio Pierce, who has rallied the players around him. They won some nice games last season, including a huge win over the Kansas City Chiefs late in the season.
They ended the season with a respectful 8-9 mark, surpassing their win total ( 6 1/2).
The Raiders won three out of their last four games to close the season on a high note and give their fanbase something to look forward to.
They know they can win some games this season even though they are in a very tough AFC West division with the Chiefs and the upstart Los Angeles Chargers in what should be a surprisingly competitive division. The Raiders will look to improve on their inept offense, work on scoring more points consistently, and finish off drives. Veteran signal caller Gardner Minshew loves to air it out, and they will open up the offense for him.
They averaged just under 20 a game, and their defense did a great job of keeping them in games. Their defensive unit only allowed 19.4 a game. They are looking to build upon that, and do not be shocked if some of their games hit the under regarding game totals.
The Vikings are a team in rebuilding, and they are going to look for some castoffs to help them compete in the NFC North. They finished 2023 with a dismal record of 7-10, dropping four straight games to end the campaign on a sour note. They will look to journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold to spark some life into a sputtering offense, and some believe their offense will be even worse in 2024.
They netted 20 a game, and do not be shocked if No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy gets much-needed reps during the preseason to see if the quarterback can push Darnold. The Vikings are a slow-starting team, and it might hurt them during the season. The total in this game is 38.5, and we are hard pressed to believe that their offense can get at least 20 plus in this one.
They allowed 21.3 turnovers defensively last season, which is not bad. But they need to create some opportunities when it comes to turnovers, and that means they will be more aggressive in the secondary. Their defense only got 11 interceptions last season.
The Vikings were 7-7-3 against the spread in 2023 , and since 2022, they have been a rough 14-17-4 overall. Their win total was 8 1/2 in 2023, and it is set at 6 ½ games in 2024. The Raiders were a strong 10-6-1 against the spread in 2023, and their win total for 2024 is low at 6 1/2.
