Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints Betting Preview
Opening Line: Vikings +4 / Saints -4 O/U 52.5
Time: 6:40 PM EST Sunday January 24, 2010 on FOX
In the Big Easy this Sunday evening in a couple of teams that can light up the scoreboard the New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game. Each team looked very solid on both offense and defense in last week's playoff win, as the Saints crushed the Arizona Cardinals 45-14 and the Vikings laid a beat down on the Dallas Cowboys beating them 34-3. Each team has a great offense, but the key to this game may be which team can play some defense.
This season the Saints are 6-2 at home and 8-8 ATS and the Vikings are 4-4 on the road and 9-6-1 ATS.
Drew Brees leads the Saints and their offense, which was the top-ranked unit in the league this season. Brees does not have to do it all, as the Saints' rushing offense is legit. In the win over the Cardinals last week the Saints had 247 passing yards and 171 rushing yards. RB Reggie Bush had a big game last week with 84 rushing yards on only 5 carries and 4 receptions for 24 yards. If he has another big game the Saints will be tough to beat. The Vikings have a great front line D that led the league in sacks this season and had 6 sacks last week in their win over Dallas, but they secondary is a concern. One major key in this game for the Saints is their offensive line, as they have to play well both protecting Brees in the pocket and opening up holes for the running game.
The ageless Brett Favre was solid last week in the win over the Cowboys passing for 234 yards with 4 TD's. Favre has a few targets, but his main one is WR Sidney Rice, who had a huge game last week with 141 receiving yards. The mediocre Saints' secondary has to cover him well, as he is a threat to score a TD every time he touches the ball. The Saints can't only worry about containing the Vikings' aerial offense, as they have Adrian Peterson in the backfield. The Saints defense played great last week and they have to do so this week against a Vikings' offense that is playing with a ton of confidence.
The Vikings are no stranger to playing in a dome, which this game will be played in, as they play in the Metrodome, but Minnesota was only 4-4 on the road this season. Last week the Vikings forced 3 turnovers and the Saints forced 2, so each team has to hold onto the ball in this game or it gives the other team a huge advantage, especially if the defense cannot stop the other team from scoring.
Both teams are playing with confidence and Brett Favre has been here before and will not be flustered. This season the Vikings were undefeated at home, but only .500 on the road (4-4).
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