FREE CONTEST: New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings ($25 Prize!)
UPDATE: THE WINNER OF THE $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD IS donn*****@hotmail.com CONGRATULATIONS!
Oct 9, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) passes against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Prizing:
1st Place: $25 Amazon gift card
2nd-5th Place: $10 Amazon gift card
Top 5 winners
1. donnac***@hotmail.com
2. danieldra***@gmail.com
3. tampalobs***@yahoo.com
4. m2va***@gmail.com
5. cmt***@virginia.edu
Overview:
On Monday, September 11th, the (0-0) New Orleans Saints will be on the road to take on the (0-0) Minnesota Vikings.
The Crowd:
“The Crowd” projects a final score of Vikings 24.6 – Saints 24.4 with an over/under of 49.0.
2016-17 Statistics (32 total teams):
Yards per game: Saints 426.0 (3rd) > Vikings 315.1 (28th)
Points per game: Saints 29.3 (2nd) > Vikings 20.4 (23rd)
Turnover margin: Vikings +11 > Saints -3
Yards allowed per game: Vikings 314.9 (3rd) > Saints 375.4 (27th)
Points allowed per game: Vikings 19.2 (6th) > Saints 28.4 (29th)
Summary:
The Vikings finished 2016 with an (8-8) record and fell short of reaching the playoffs. Minnesota (+20) had the 15th best point differential in the NFL last season. Even after trading for Sam Bradford the Vikings were among the worst offensive teams (20.4 PPG) in the league. Franchise icon Adrian Peterson left for New Orleans in free agency and will certainly be looking to stick it to his old team. Latavius Murray and Dalvin Cook will have to pick up the slack in Peterson’s absence. The receiving corps leaves a lot to be desired and the offensive line has some question marks. The Vikings defense allowed the 6th fewest points per game (19.2) last season and return nearly all their starters.
The Saints were (7-9) last season and did not make the playoffs. New Orleans (+15) had the 17th best point differential in the NFL. The Saints had the second best scoring offense (29.3 PPG) last season. Drew Brees is still playing at an elite level throwing for over 5,200 yards and 37 touchdowns. Mark Ingram had 1,000 yards rushing and the addition of Adrian Peterson should lessen his workload. The Saints defense improved in 2016 but was still one of the worst in the league (28.4 PPG).
Bottom Line:
The Vikings were one of the best teams at forcing turnovers last season while the Saints were pretty sloppy with the football. I think Minnesota can effectively run the football and control the clock against a weak New Orleans defense. While Peterson’s return may grab the headlines, I expect the Vikings to grab the victory.
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