NFL Pick: Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota Vikings

Arizona Cardinals (1-4 SU, 3-2 ATS) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-2-1 SU, 3-2 ATS)
NFL Football Week 6
Date and Time: Sunday, October 14th, 1:00pm EST
Where:U.S. Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
TV: FOX
By: Bob Clark, NFL Football Handicapper, Predictem.com

Point Spread: ARI +10/MIN -10
Over/Under Total: 43

VIKINGS AND CARDINALS INTRODUCTION!

Maybe I am out of line but I seriously have no desire to see this game on Sunday. We all knew Minnesota was a fluke last year and the Cardinals have not been taken seriously since Kurt Warner was playing quarterback against the Steelers in the Super Bowl. I love football, I really really do, but this game gives me no reason to care….It is two teams that have no shot of winning anything this season. Okay, maybe the Vikings have a shot to make the playoffs but I do not see any NFC Title in their future. However, just because its a game that I do not care to see, that does not mean that we cannot make a little cash on it. I have a very good feeling that I know exactly what is going to take place on Sunday…so buckle up and let’s do this thing!

When I went online Monday and saw the line on this game I was like WTF. I could not believe that Vegas was so high on Minnesota. The line has the Minnesota Vikings as a ten point favorite over the Arizona Cardinals while the total points are set at 43 combined. Something else that I found crazy was that 59% of the public action is on the Vikings to cover the ten points while the over/under of the total score is getting just about even action with 51% taking the under and 49% on the over. Although the Cardinals have only won one game straight up this season, they have managed to cover the spread in three of their five games while the Vikings have done the same.

HEAD TO HEAD:

A ten point spread is a lot, especially in the NFL, but there has to be a reason for this. Coming into week six, the Vikings are third in the NFL in passing due to the arm of Kirk Cousins and this may not bode well for a Cardinals defense that is allowing opposing QB’s to pass for over 275 yards a game and 69% completion percentage. As crazy as it may sound though, the Cardinals COULD have the advantage here. Yes, it appears they are going to be riding the rest of 2018 out with Josh Rosen as their QB but the Vikings pass defense barely cracks the top 30 in the NFL. This could be the perfect time to let this kid throw it around and get some experience.

Although the Vikings record is not that good, I can say in confidence that they have played the far more difficult schedule so far in 2018. They tied the Packers, beat the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles, and they played a very competitive game against the undefeated Rams that they ended up losing by a single score. This team is not terrible by any means, I just have no faith that they can repeat last year’s success. As for the Cardinals, they are just a bad team right now. They are finally coming into this game with a win, their only win, against the San Francisco 49ers but statistically, they are dreadful. Arizona ranks near the bottom of the NFL in EVERY offensive category including having the worst scoring offense averaging only 13 points per contest. When you have an offense this bad and a defense that is just average, that is always a recipe for disaster. I do think that the Cardinals organization is on the rise though and I can see them being competitive again in two or three years…too bad the game is this Sunday against the Vikings.

THE PREDICTION:

I never like taking double digit favorites in the NFL, it is very rare that I do and if you have followed me over the years, you would know that. However, this game has all the makings of being a blowout. I just do not think the Arizona Cardinals are much of anything right now while the Vikings are still a capable team. I see the Vikings coming in and doing what they do best and that is slinging the ball around the field. Not only do I think Cousins will pass at will, I also think it will be the week that the Vikings run game gets going again. As of right now, Minnesota is averaging just 65 yards a game on the ground. If they plan on another playoff run, that number MUST increase as the season goes on.

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The Cardinals COULD keep this one close but I just do not see it happening because of their lack of offense. Their defense I think for the first half will try and hold their own but as the game continues and the Cardinals D gets worn down, Minnesota will pull away and win handily. I foresee the Minnesota Vikings taking over late and putting a nail in the coffin early in the fourth quarter. Minnesota will beat Arizona straight up as well as cover the ten points this Sunday with a 28-13 win at home. BOOK IT….This game is easy money.

Bob’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: TAKE THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS MINUS THE TEN POINTS AGAINST THE ARIZONA CARDINALS.