Minnesota Vikings Odds – Vikings window of opportunity is now
The online sports betting community has noted that the Minnesota Vikings odds have jumped up since the return of quarterback Brett Favre. Although Favre is past his prime, he’s still an upgrade at the position, which makes the Vikings odds in the NFC legit. The pressure is on, but there is no doubting that the Vikings are a Super Bowl contender now.
Minnesota Vikings odds: +1000 to win Super Bowl XLIV
- Adrian Peterson and the rushing attack will again spearhead the offense
- Vikings return stout roster on both offense and defense; very little turnover
- Brett Favre might be the missing piece on a team that sorely lacks a competent quarterback
The Vikings odds were all across the board as Brett Favre wavered on his return, but now that he has decided to play, the Vikings need to be solid. With Favre in the lineup, the Vikings could be the Super Bowl favorite in the NFC. The question is, can his shoulder last a full season - because without him, they aren’t that much different from last year.
Vikings betting fans know that their team does some things extremely well, such as run the ball and stop the run, but they also have their deficiencies, such as the passing game. With Favre back, both Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson will head to the bench. While the team has tried to develop Jackson, that process has been slow and unsuccessful. And considering the team traded for Rosenfels in the offseason, Jackson’s days in Minnesota might be numbered. Rosenfels is a journeyman backup, though, so he wasn’t expected to be the man to carry this team to the Super Bowl anyways.
But with Favre in the lineup, the Vikings now have their first competent quarterback in years. While their weapons in the passing game aren’t fantastic, the Vikings do have a lot of speed with Bernard Berrian and rookie first-round pick, Percy Harvin. The running game will again be the foundation on offense, as Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor are the best running back tandem in the NFL. Running behind a big, powerful offensive line, the Vikings will move the ball on the ground against anyone.
The Vikings odds improve so much now because they have a quarterback that makes their offense two-dimensional. On defense, the football betting community knows that their unit is a tough one to deal with. Pat Williams and Kevin Williams are immovable defensive tackles, which makes running on the Vikings near impossible. Then with Jared Allen off the edge, the Vikings finally have a pass rush that they have sorely missed in the past. With physical corners like Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield – not to mention a versatile and fast linebacking corps highlighted by Chad Greenway – the Vikings don’t have many holes defensively. But then again, the Vikings betting fan base knows that the team doesn’t have many holes in general.
The main gap was at quarterback, but now that they solved that issue with the acquisition of Favre, the Vikings could be Super Bowl bound. The New York Jets had a similar mindset last year when they believed Favre was their missing piece, but that obviously didn’t work out. The Vikings odds in the sportsbook will likely improve, but unlike the Jets last year, the entire team has to feel the urgency to win now if they truly want to capitalize on this opportunity.
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Stan Simmons first tasted football through the college game, but his football handicapping has strictly focused on the professional sport. Not many people devote as much time to the NFL as Simmons. For six days a week he works, labors and handicaps the sport, and on the seventh he rests as the games play out. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
