NFL Betting – Vikings Pick Back Up on the Winning Trail
Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings – Sunday October 21, 2012 1:00PM EST
Line: Minnesota is a 7-point favorite and the Total is at 40 1/2.
It is hard to believe that the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings losing football games in week six is news, but that is exactly what it is. The NFL betting experts watched as the Arizona Cardinals made just enough mistakes to allow the Buffalo Bills to hang around and then the Bills won the game on a field goal in overtime. The Cardinals lost its quarterback Kevin Kolb in that week six game for what could be the rest of the season. As backup John Skelton gets ready to take over at quarterback, the Cardinals get ready to change their offensive style to match their new pass thrower.
The Minnesota Vikings were supposed to have one of the best defensive units in the league. But the sports betting experts watched Washington Redskins’ rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III poke holes in the Minnesota defense that it did not know it had. The Arizona Cardinals could have done something with the revelation that the Vikings are powerless against a mobile quarterback when Kolb was under center. But with Skelton in the game, it becomes a challenge to protect the pocket passer from the ferocious pass rush that Minnesota can deliver.
Arizona Cardinals
The online betting sites see serious trouble for the Cardinals on offense heading into week seven. The Cardinals will be without its quarterback Kevin Kolb and its running back Beanie Wells. The one good thing about Skelton coming into the game is that he has a good passer-receiver relationship with superstar wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. If Skelton can keep the ball out of trouble and make sure that he gets it to Fitzgerald on a regular basis, then the Cardinals will have a chance. Fans need to remember that the Cardinals’ defense is a pretty good unit as well and can definitely bring the pressure to Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder.
Minnesota Vikings
When Christian Ponder does not protect the ball and the Vikings play sloppy defense, then the team gets results like it got in week six against the Redskins. The football betting experts know that RG3 gave the Vikings’ fits, but Ponder’s two interceptions definitely did not help the situation either. The Vikings will not shy away from the passing game in week seven, but you can look for Ponder to start the game making more conservative decisions than he made in week six. The Vikings will want to play a possession game to help protect the ball and keep Larry Fitzgerald off the field.
The Bottom Line
The Minnesota Vikings has already shown that it can play good football and win tough games. The Arizona Cardinals have shown the same thing. But with injuries to key players still haunting the Cardinals, this week seven is going to be more difficult than people thought it was going to be.
Read more about the Vikings and the great start to the 2012 season.
Pick: Minnesota Vikings