The undefeated Denver Broncos (3-0) travel to meet the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) this week. The NFL’s top rusher, Adrian Peterson (291 yards, 2 TDs), will be on display in this matchup. It starts at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct 4 and can be seen on FOX.
Denver beat Detroit 24-12 last week. Peyton Manning had a big game throwing the ball in the win, completing 31 of 42 passes for 324 yards, two TDs and one interception. Minnesota also picked up the win last week, beating San Diego 31-14. Adrian Peterson had an outstanding performance on the ground for the Vikings, rushing for 126 yards and two TDs on 20 carries.
The Broncos, a six-point favorite, will be looking to keep home-field advantage when Minnesota visits. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is 44 points.
Heading into Week 4 of league action, the Broncos are unbeaten with a 3-0 record Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS). The Broncos utilize their passing game frequently, throwing 42.3 times per game, which is the fourth-most in the NFL. As for the Denver defense, there are important areas to keep an eye on. The Vikings may have a difficult time throwing the ball against the Broncos’ No. 1 pass defense which has given up 177.3 passing yards per game this season. The Broncos score at a high rate in the second quarter. Denver averages 10.3 points during that period, one of the highest marks in the league.
Compared to the Broncos, the Vikings have a record of 2-1 for both ATS and SU. The Vikings’ secondary could be in for an easy game this week when they play Denver, who has the league’s worst yards per pass average at 8.7 yards per attempt. Given Denver’s tendencies, this game could come down to penalties. The Broncos have been one of the most penalized teams in the NFL this year, with 74 penalty yards per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Min, ATS Winner – Min, O/U – Under
Notes
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver’s last 9 games.
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
Denver is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home.
Each team is 2-0 SU when leading after two quarters this season.
The Minnesota passing attack is ranked last in the league, while the Denver pass defense is ranked first. The Broncos’ passing game is ranked just 32nd, compared to the 16th-ranked pass defense of the Vikings.
Minnesota has allowed 16.7 points per contest this year, which is ranked 14th in the league. Denver has put up 24.7 points per game this year and is ranked 13th overall.
