The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders will face off in a preseason game on Sunday, Aug. 14, at Allegiant Stadium.
With plenty of backups making their claim for playing time during these early preseason contests, we must look to position battles in order to determine our best bets and predictions.
Let’s take a look at current betting lines for this preseason clash between the Vikings and Raiders.
Vikings vs Raiders Odds
According to our NFL odds, the Raiders sit as 3.5-point favorites across the board in their home stadium in Las Vegas. This game should be a battle between Vikings’ backup quarterback Sean Mannion and the Raiders’ second and third-string options, Jarrett Stidham and Nick Mullens.
Vikings vs Raiders Implied Score
Raiders 19, Vikings 15
The Over/Under is set at just 34, with most backups expected to play in this matchup, and with the Raiders set to win by less than a touchdown at home.
Vikings vs Raiders Pick of the Day
Read more on this Vikings vs Raiders bet below.
Vikings vs Raiders Matchup
The Raiders have a distinct advantage heading into this matchup, having already defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Hall Of Fame game last week.
Las Vegas looked dominant in their 27-11 win over the Jags, playing very physical for a preseason game. This is a trend I expect to continue on Sunday against the Vikings.
New Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels will look to make his mark in Las Vegas, but will likely carry over many of the traits we saw when he was running the New England Patriots offense.
Josh Jacobs played a shocking 11 snaps during the Jaguars game, with seven different players being tasked with running the ball. However, the player to watch may be Zamir White, a rookie out of Georgia, who rushed 11 times for 52 yards while catching three passes for 23 yards.
It is unlikely we see much out of newcomer Davante Adams and the rest of the Raiders’ starting lineup, so we expect Las Vegas to employ a similar run-heavy gap scheme against a Vikings unit that utilizes many different players.
Minnesota will likely turn to Sean Mannion to run their offense for most of the game, with Kellen Mond coming on late in support.
Las Vegas should have a sizable advantage at the quarterback position with Stidham, who played for three years with McDaniels in New England. The veteran quarterback knows the offense well and should have no issues running the huddle fluidly.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will be making his debut in this game, and will be tasked with rebuilding one of the worst defenses in the NFL.
Unfortunately, a poor defense will be even more depleted in a game with very few starters expected to play. It may be a long day for the Vikings.
One player to watch on the Minnesota offense will be second-year wide receiver Trishton Jackson, who is having a solid training camp. Jackson has an intriguing combination of size and speed that may shine in a preseason outing.
Vikings vs Raiders Prediction
Raiders 21, Vikings 10
Considering that neither team has much to play for this early in the preseason, I will lean on the experience of the Raiders’ backup quarterback to carry Las Vegas to an easy victory.
In a game where very little can be predicted, it’s an easy call to rely on Stidham’s knowledge of the playbook and his relationship with McDaniels.
Vikings vs Raiders Bet Tips
You can’t go wrong betting the Under.
As is traditional in the NFL preseason, bet the Under.
I expect the Raiders offense to run the ball early and often while expecting very little from the Vikings.
Experience over potential will shine.
As stated above, the Raiders have a distinct advantage at quarterback, which should result in a safe win.
There will, hopefully, be a few explosive plays to enjoy during the game, but overall it should be a rather dull script.
Vikings vs Raiders Best Bets
Raiders -3.5 (-105) at FanDuel Sportsbook
While I expect a low-scoring affair, I also expect the Raiders to win quite comfortably. The Under is not my primary recommendation because I do not fully trust the Vikings defense to do their part.
Instead, back Las Vegas as your NFL pick of the day.
