Week 14 begins with a possible playoff game preview with the Minnesota Vikings (8-4) taking on the Arizona Cardinals (10-2).
Scroll on down for the live blog or keep reading for preview information.
First here’s my pick from today’s Thursday Night Match-Up.
The Pick: Teams of this caliber and a spread that large should make anybody nervous, especially this late in the season. Still, the Cardinals look like they’re in Super Bowl shape and the Vikings have been their own worst enemy trying to close out games and the season. Arizona is going to win the game, but the question is by how much. I’ll go with the spread. Cardinals 34, Vikings 24
And here are my entries for both teams in this week’s Power Rankings.
2. Arizona Cardinals – (10-2) A win this week probably realistically locks up the No. 2 seed in the playoffs for the Cardinals, who have improved every season under Bruce Arians. It makes you wonder why it took so long for a team to hire him as its head coach. Last week: No. 2
9. Minnesota Vikings – (8-4) The Vikings can’t seem to lead the NFC North for more than a week at a time. Last week: No. 6
And here’s our GMS Preview.
The Arizona Cardinals (10-2) will put their six-game winning streak on the line when they take on the Minnesota Vikings (8-4) this week. The NFL’s third-leading passer, Carson Palmer (3,693 yards, 29 TDs), and leading rusher, Adrian Peterson (1,182 yards, 8 TDs), will play an integral role in the outcome of this game. It will air Thursday, Dec 10 at 8:25 p.m. ET on NFLN.
In last week’s game, Arizona dominated the Rams 27-3. David Johnson had a good performance running the ball in the victory, dashing 22 times for 99 yards. Carson Palmer had a great game as well, adding 356 yards and two TDs through the air. Minnesota is hoping for a different outcome after struggling mightily against the Seahawks 38-7. Brian Robison led the defensive effort for Minnesota, recording three tackles and two sacks.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is sitting at 45 points and the Vikings are a big seven-point underdog.
Sitting at 10-2 Straight Up (SU) and 7-5 Against The Spread (ATS), the Cardinals will look to improve heading into Week 14. In their five most recent matchups, the Cardinals went 5-0 SU and 3-2 ATS. Arizona’s offense is averaging 437.2 total yards over the last five games. Crossing over to the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals look to have a distinct advantage in certain spots. Arizona’s defensive backs could have an edge on the Vikings and their struggling pass game. Minnesota averages 179.1 yards per game through the air, ranking 31st in the NFL. In the second quarter, Arizona is solid, putting up 10 points.
Across the field, the Vikings head into Week 14 with records of 9-3 ATS and 8-4 SU. Over their last five games, the Vikings have a SU and ATS record of 3-2. Odds suggest Minnesota will continue to rely on its run game, where its 154.2 rushing yards per road game ranks first in the league. Moving on to the Minnesota defense, it has some favorable matchups that it may be able to take advantage of as well. The Vikings should work for adequate ball security against the Cardinals, who rank near the bottom of the league in fumbles lost with 0.8 per game. Minnesota’s return game could play a key role in this week’s matchup. They average 112.8 return yards per game, the most in the NFL.
Predictions: SU Winner – Ari, ATS Winner – Ari, O/U – Under
The game is on NFL Network at 8:25 p.m. Watch it with me.
