Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints Picks, Odds, NFC Wild Card Predictions 1/5/2020

Game: Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints

Date: Sunday, January 5th, 2020

NFC Wild Card

Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA

TV: FOX

Odds/Point Spread: New Orleans -6.5

Total/Over-Under: 46

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday in an NFC Wild Card matchup. New Orleans opens this contest as 6.5-point favorites. The over/under opens at 46. The Vikings are 10-6-0 ATS and 9-7-0 when betting on the total. The Saints are 9-7-0 when wagering on the over/under and 13-3-0 against the spread.

In their last game, the Minnesota Vikings went up against the Chicago Bears and were beaten 21-19. Running the show from under center for the Vikings was Sean Mannion who went 12/21 with 126 yards through the air but wasn't able to throw a ball for a TD. He gave away 2 interceptions during the game. Mike Boone paced the team in rushing for that game. He tore off a long run of 59 yards and he ran for 1 TD during the game. He ran for 148 yards via 17 carries which meant he was running for 8.7 yards per tote. Alexander Hollins was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 46 yards on 2 receptions. He had an average of 23.0 yards per catch for that game. The Minnesota Vikings ended up rushing 26 times and generated 174 yards earning them an average of 6.7 yards per rushing attempt. For the game, the Vikings earned 14 first downs and they had a total of 3 penalties for 40 yards. For the game, they ran 47 plays for 300 yards. When discussing the defense, Minnesota allowed 26 completions on 37 attempts for a total of 179 yards, and a completion percentage of 70.0%. For the game, they gave up 337 yards and forced 1 takeaway. In the running game, the Vikings allowed 158 yards on 34 carries which gave them an average of 4.6 yards per carry allowed. Another prediction you may want to look into is the free pick against the spread from Parlays Pundit on the Seahawks vs Eagles game.

Vikings are Now 10-6 After Loss

The Vikings come into this matchup with a record of 10-6 this year. They are in the middle of the pack in regard to scoring in the league averaging 25 points per game, putting them 8th in the league. As a unit, they are averaging 133 rushing yards per game which is 4th in the conference. For total yardage, they are currently ranked 9th in the NFC and 16th in the league with 5,656 yards. When it comes to scoring touchdowns, the Vikings have compiled a total of 26 passing TDs and 19 rushing touchdowns. This team is one of the more average teams in terms of scoring in the division and I wouldn't expect it to change too much in this matchup.

The Vikings have one of the best defenses in the NFL, allowing 18.9 points per contest which has them at 2nd in the NFC. When talking about yards rushing, Minnesota is giving up 108.0 yards per contest ranking them 2nd among NFC North teams and 13th in the league. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 4.3 yards per carry which has them at 10th in the NFC and 19th in the league overall. Overall, they have allowed 2,133 yards rushing through 16 contests. When it comes to passing yards, the Vikings have conceded 3,737 yards. Opponents are completing 65.6% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 5.8 yards per attempt. They have allowed 23 passing TDs and 8 rushing touchdowns.

In their last game, the New Orleans Saints took on the Carolina Panthers and earned the win by a score of 42-10. Leading the way at QB for the Saints was Drew Brees who went 19/30 with 253 yards through the air and tossed 3 TD's. He ended the game without an interception. Latavius Murray led the team on the ground in the game. His longest run of the day went for 13 yards but wasn't able to convert a rushing touchdown. He racked up a total of 61 yards by way of 17 carries which meant he was running for 3.6 yards per carry. Tre'Quan Smith was the receiving yardage leader by earning 56 yards on 5 receptions. He averaged 11.2 yards per reception in the game. The New Orleans Saints ran the ball a total of 35 times and earned a total of 115 yards earning them an average of 3.3 yards per carry. Overall, the Saints had a total of 25 first downs and they totaled 3 penalties for 44 yards. Overall, they ran 67 plays for a total of 379 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, New Orleans allowed 26 catches on 49 throws for a total of 288 yards, and a completion percentage of 53.0%. Against the run, the Saints allowed 41 yards on 18 attempts which gave them an average of 2.3 yards per attempt allowed. Overall, they conceded 329 yards and earned 3 takeaways. Tony Sink has a free NFL pick ATS for the contest between the Bills and Texans.

Saints Rise to 13-3 After Win

The Saints come into this matchup with a record of 13-3. New Orleans is having a year to forget in the ground game by averaging 109 rushing yards per game, which has them at 16th in the NFL. As a unit, they have a total of 1,738 rushing yards through 16 contests, so they'll need to look to improve on these numbers if they want to compete with the better teams in the league. The Saints average 374 yards per game overall putting them 9th in the NFL and 7th in the NFC. In discussing their scoring prowess, the Saints currently sit at 1st in the division and 3rd out of all the teams in the league averaging 28.6 points per contest.

The Saints are allowing 21.3 points per contest which puts them at 1st in the division and 13th in the NFL. Their passing defense is one of the middling groups among NFL teams. They are giving up 242 passing yards per contest. For passing yards allowed per game, the Saints currently sit at 10th among NFC teams. They have conceded 27 passing touchdowns for the 2019 season. In discussing points allowed, they have allowed 341 total points. When talking about yards rushing, they are conceding 91 yards per game which puts them at 4th in the NFL and 2nd in the division. In 2019, they have allowed a total of 1,461 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.

Who will win tonight's Vikings/Saints NFL game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Vikings +6.5

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here