Monday Night Football Picks: Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers, NFL Preview

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Monday, 11/14/11, 8:30 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Green Bay -13.5
Current Betting Line: Green Bay -13
Opening Total: 48
Current Total: 47
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Packers Steelers Super Bowl XLV Picks — The Green Bay Packers are the only undefeated team in the NFL

Minnesota will be seeking revenge from suffering a 33-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers as 10-point home underdogs on Oct. 23, as the team will try to avoid being swept for the fourth in six seasons when facing opposing head coach Mike McCarthy. “We’ve shown on tape that if we execute, we can play with any team in this league,” commented Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin. It’s important to note that rookie quarterback Christian Ponder was making his first career start in the first meeting inside the Metrodome, finishing with 219 passing yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Minnesota is 1-6 ATS when playing with revenge and the ‘over’ is 5-3 in those contests.

The Vikings still have one of the best running backs in the league in Adrian Peterson, who has enjoyed a 15-day rest between games. The former Oklahoma Sooners star comes in as the league’s fourth-leading rusher, while averaging 110.3 rushing yards per game in the past three meetings with the Packers in Titletown. On the defensive side of the ball, pass rusher Jared Allen will need to get pressure on Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, as he tallied a career-high 4.5 sacks against the Packers on Monday Night Football two years ago.

Green Bay is the only undefeated team in the NFL and is set to play inside Lambeau Field for the first time since Oct. 6, coming off a 45-38 win over the San Diego Chargers as 5.5-point road favorites. It’s important to note that the Packers have been out-gained in their last three games, including by 92 yards versus the Chargers. Many NFL insiders believe the defense continues to be a problem, ranking 30th in allowing 399.6 yards per game, but the offense has hidden the deficiencies due to scoring the most points in the league per game. Green Bay is 30-14 ATS over the last two-plus seasons, while the ‘under’ holds a slight 23-22 advantage.

The Packers have won eight straight games at Lambeau Field and are 14-1 inside the venue since Week 10 of the 2009 season. Green Bay holds a slight 52-48-1 advantage in its series with Minnesota, but has won just three of seven meetings on Monday Night Football. Dominating the division has been a priority under McCarthy, tallying a 23-9 mark, which is the third-best intra-division record during his time in Green Bay. Rodgers continues to put up amazing numbers, hitting 72.5 percent of his passes for 2,619 yards and 24 touchdowns with just three interceptions.