Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings, Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 1:00 pm EST, TV: CBS
Opening Line: Vikings -6.5
Current Line: Vikings -5.5
Opening Total: 45
Current Total: 44.5
Money Line: Vikings -230 / Bills +190
The Minnesota Vikings (4-7) will try to achieve something the Buffalo Bills (2-9) have already done this season when they meet in the Metrodome on Sunday. The Vikings (-5.5) have yet to put together consecutive wins this year, which the Bills accomplished recently before suffering a tough 19-16 overtime loss at home to Pittsburgh last week.
Minnesota had to be happy just to get a 17-13 road win at Washington last week, snapping a nine-game losing streak away from home, including the playoffs. The Vikings were coming off back-to-back losses to NFC North rivals Chicago and Green Bay by a combined score of 58-16, prompting the dismissal of head coach Brad Childress.
Former defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier took over for Childress and kept the offense simple for quarterback Brett Favre as he requested. Favre was not forced to throw the ball and let running backs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart carry the load, combining for 112 yards on 28 carries and scoring both of the team’s touchdowns. Gerhart was forced into action when Peterson left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury, and the rookie could make his first start against Buffalo if Peterson is not healthy enough to go.
Favre failed to throw an interception for the first time in six games, and Minnesota improved to 2-0 when he does not have a pick. The win over the Redskins was also the first game all season that he did not give the ball away (he leads the NFL with 22 turnovers overall).
Buffalo gave a victory away last week when wide receiver Steve Johnson dropped what would have been the game-winning 40-yard touchdown pass in OT. Johnson has nine touchdown catches this season and has formed a dangerous tandem with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who finished with 265 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The Bills also got a career-high 104 receiving yards from running back Fred Jackson, who finished with 163 yards from scrimmage and scored their lone touchdown on a 65-yard pass play. Jackson has had more than 100 yards rushing or receiving in each of their last three games.
Buffalo has covered each of its last three road games along with the last three meetings with the Vikings, and the team’s last four losses have all been decided by three points. The Bills are 5-0-1 against the spread in their last six games overall with the UNDER going 4-1 in the past five. The UNDER has also cashed in the last three games overall for Minnesota.
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