Minnesota Vikings at New York Jets, New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Monday, October 11, 2010, 8:30 pm EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Jets -5.5
Current Line: Jets -4
Opening Total: 36.5
Current Total: 38
Money Line: Jets -190 / Vikings +160
Odds taken from Bookmaker Sportsbook and Casino.
The Minnesota Vikings (1-2) return from their bye week with a new wide receiver and plenty to prove when they visit the New York Jets (3-1) on Monday Night Football. The Vikings acquired their former star Randy Moss from New England on Wednesday and will need him against the favored Jets (-4 on the current NFL point spreads), who have won their last three games in impressive fashion following a season-opening 10-9 loss to Baltimore.
New York has won its last three against AFC East opponents by an average of more than 15 points, including the last two on the road. The last home game for the Jets took place in Week 2 and involved Moss and the Patriots, resulting in a 28-14 victory. Moss scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in that game but was held in check in the second half despite the fact that Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis injured his hamstring on the scoring play. Revis has not played since facing the Patriots and will get another opportunity to match up with Moss here.
This game also marks the return of Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre to the Meadowlands, where he played with the Jets in 2008. Favre retired following one year with the team and then joined the Vikings prior to the next season. He has missed a deep threat this year with Sidney Rice out following hip surgery and has publicly stated that he always wanted to play with Moss.
Favre has not played well in three games for Minnesota this season, ranking 30th in the NFL in passer rating at 60.4 with two touchdown passes and six interceptions. He threw seven picks all of last year and needs one more touchdown pass to reach 500 for his career.
Fortunately for Favre and the Vikings, running back Adrian Peterson is having another All-Pro season. Peterson has rushed for 392 yards in three games but will be facing one of the Top 5 run defenses in the league. New York is allowing 74.8 yards per game on the ground and only one touchdown, which could put even more pressure on Favre and the passing game.
The Jets have been running on all cylinders offensively thanks to the rapid growth of second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez, who is the only active starter in the NFL without an interception. Sanchez has completed 60 of 103 passes for 711 yards with eight touchdowns. He has been aided by a strong running game again this year, led by future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson.
New York had planned to hand over the reins to second-year running back Shonn Greene, but Tomlinson has played so well after signing with the team in the offseason that it has been difficult to keep him off the field. Greene has totaled 223 rushing yards compared to Tomlinson, who leads the team with 341 on 56 carries (6.1 average) and three touchdowns. Minnesota has also been tough against the run though, giving up 87.3 yards per game and just one touchdown.
Favre has lost his last three starts against the Jets, who have also won the last five regular-season meetings with the Vikings both straight-up and against the spread. The UNDER has cashed in the last two games between the teams following three straight OVERs in the series.
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