The border rivalry between Minnesota and Green Bay will be the last game on the NFL schedule for 2023. The Vikings and Packers are in a similar situation with an identical 7-8 record, playing to keep the playoff dream alive.
Minnesota was a 2-point favorite for most of the week until news broke that rookie quarterback Jaren Hall will start on Sunday. Now, sports gambling apps see the Vikings as a 1-point favorite against their NFC North foe. Minnesota won the first game of the season at Lambeau Field, and the Packers will seek revenge at the U.S. Bank Stadium on New Year’s Eve.
Justin Jefferson Is Back!
The Vikings had a carousel of quarterbacks after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. After Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens demonstrated a chronic turnover problem, head coach Kevin O'Connell decided to entrust the starting job to rookie Jaren Hall. However, this will not be Hall’s first start. The fifth-round pick from BYU was the primary signal caller for the Atlanta Falcons game in Week 9 but suffered a concussion in the first quarter.
Hall’s sample size is too small to draw conclusions, throwing for 100 yards with an 80% completion rate. The rookie has a reputation for being a mobile quarterback with a strong arm. However, some of the most potent offensive weapons will not be on the field after TE T.J. Hockenson injured his knee and is out for the season. Rookie WR Jordan Addison is also questionable with an ankle injury.
The good news is Justin Jefferson is fully recovered from a hamstring injury and, judging by last week's game against the Lions, is back in shape. Jefferson had 6 receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.
The Vikings have a one-dimensional offense with a minimum run game. They average 93 rushing yards per game, and that’s on a good day, last week they had 18 yards on the ground. Minnesota has a -9 turnover differential, and its defense allows 19.9 points a game, but is also battling injuries.
Green Bay Is Losing Momentum
The Packers suspended cornerback Jaire Alexander for one game, and that will give Jefferson a lot of room to get open, considering Alexander is the best cornerback on the team.
Green Bay had a turbulent season, but the team is confident in QB Jordan Love's future with the team. The Packers had a good mid-season run beating favorites Rams, Lions, and Chiefs.
However, they did not sustain the momentum and lost games to the Giants and Buccaneers. Last week, the Packers barely escaped a loss against the Panthers, winning 33-30 in the last seconds. Jordan threw for 219 yards and 2 TDs against the Panthers. With Love as the signal caller, the Packers score 22.2 points a game, while their defense surrendered 22.1 points per contest.
Betting Prediction
Numerous injuries have plagued the Vikings, and coach Kevin O’Connell has not found a remedy for the turnovers problem. The Packers have not played constantly, but have defeated Super Bowl favorites. The best betting sites with free bets offer -112 odds on a moneyline bet on the Vikings and -108 on the Packers. The point spread receives -105 odds on Minnesota to cover and -115 odds on Green Bay to cover. The total is 44 points with -112 odds for the Over and -108 odds for the Under bet.
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