The Minnesota Vikings (2-1, 0-1 Away) are on the road to take on the New Orleans Saints (1-2, 0-1 Home) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. The Vikings are 2.5-point favorites, and the total is 43.5. Minnesota is coming off a 28-24 win over the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium last Sunday. Kirk Cousins threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Dalvin Cook ran 17 times for 96 yards and a touchdown. K.J. Osborn was targeted eight times, catching five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. New Orleans lost 22-14 to the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium last Sunday. Jameis Winston was 25 of 41 for 353 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Alvin Kamara carried 15 times for 61 yards. Chris Olave was targeted 13 times, hauling in nine receptions for 147 yards.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The teams are meeting in the regular season for the first time since December 2020, a 52-33 win for the Saints. Cousins tossed three touchdowns for Minnesota.
TALE OF THE TAPE
The Vikings are averaging 19.3 points per game so far this season, 16th in the NFL, and they are facing a Saints defense that has surrendered 22.7 PPG (19th). Meanwhile, New Orleans has scored 17.0 points a game this season, 22nd in the league, and Minnesota is allowing 18.3 PPG (9th). The Vikings rank 16th in the league in passing yards per game (252.7) and 19th in rushing (103.7). They will face a tough test through the air, as the Saints are third in the league in passing yards allowed per game (191.7). Against the run, New Orleans is 26th (139.3). New Orleans is seventh in the league in passing yards per game (286.0) and 16th in rushing (111.7). Minnesota’s defense has been most beatable through the air, as the Vikings are 29th in the league in passing yards allowed per game (290.0). Against the run, the Vikings are 24th (137.7). Minnesota is averaging 3.3 red zone trips a game this season, fourth lowest in the NFL, finding the end zone 50% of the time (21st). The Vikings may struggle to improve on those numbers against one of the league’s best red zone defenses, as the Saints have allowed opponents to score on only 33% of red zone trips (2nd). New Orleans ranks as the one of the lowest volume red zone offenses in the league, advancing inside the 20-yard-line only 3.0 times per game (29th) and scoring a touchdown on 67% of those possessions (8th).
TOP PERFORMERS
Through three games, Cousins has thrown for five touchdowns (3 INT) and 252.7 yards per game to lead Minnesota in passing. In one previous game away from home this season, he had one TD (3 INT) and 221 yards passing. Cook leads the team in rushing with an average of 67.7 yards a game over three games. He has one touchdown on the ground. Justin Jefferson is the Vikings’ leading receiver with 82.0 yards a game and two TDs. He is averaging 6.0 receptions on 9.7 targets per game. Winston has four passing touchdowns (5 INT) with 286.0 yards per game through three games to lead New Orleans. Kamara has been the team’s leading performer on the ground, averaging 50.0 yards a game through two games. Olave has been a key target in the Saints’ passing game, averaging 89.3 yards per game through three appearances. Olave is averaging 9.7 targets per game (5.7 receptions).
SportsTips’ NFL Pick:
Minnesota Vikings (-190)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
