Football Sports Betting Pick – West Virginia Hosts Syracuse Orange

The sports betting lines are out, and it’s time to get your wagers in. Who should be your pick as the Packers and Vikings get set to do battle in a crucial NFC North showdown?

Minnesota Vikings (2-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) at Green Bay Packers (3-3 SU, 2-4 ATS)

Sunday, October 24: 8:20 p.m. NBC, Live from Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Betting Odds:

Minnesota:+2 ½
Green Bay: -2 ½
Total: 43 ½

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Entering this one, the story of the game is clearly Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre. The former Packer legend has dealt with many personal problems off the field, and has struggled on it in his second year in Minnesota. So far in 2010, Favre is completing just 58 percent of his passes, and has thrown six touchdowns to seven interceptions. Those numbers certainly aren’t what Vikings brass expected when they re-signed the 41-year-old this offseason.

Luckily for Minnesota fans, this team can still play defense, and they still have Adrian Peterson, maybe the best back in the game. Peterson has been a saving grace for this offense, as he ranks fourth in the NFL with 553 yards rushing and has also carried for four touchdowns this year.

On the opposite side of this Sports Betting showdown are the Green Bay Packers, who entered this season as Super Bowl favorites, but have limped out of the gate to a .500 record.

Like Minnesota, Green Bay simply hasn’t gotten what they had hoped from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Part is due to a concussion suffered a few weeks ago, and part is because of an injury to running back Ryan Grant a few weeks before that. However, in large part, Rodgers just hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations that were placed on him coming into 2010. On the year, the 27-year-old has thrown for 1,546 yards, which is a respectable seventh in the league, but he has also turned the ball over entirely too much with seven interceptions this season. He threw just seven interceptions in 350 pass attempts all of last year.

And it’s because of Minnesota’s defense, and Rodgers mistake-prone tendencies, that when it comes to the weekend’s Sports Betting, Minnesota should be your play.

Neither team is overwhelming on the offensive end right now, so defense will likely be the difference in this one, and that’s where Minnesota has the edge. So far in 2010 this unit has been excellent, allowing just 274 yards of offense per game, and just 17.6 point per contest. Both those numbers rank in the Top 10 in the league. And with Green Bay struggling to move the ball (they’re just 13th in total offense), this Minnesota defense should do enough to keep the Vikings in the game. From there, Peterson and the run offense will do the rest.

Yes Brett Favre has been in the midst of some controversy, and yes the Vikings have hardly looked like world beaters, but they’ll get the win Sunday. Make Minnesota your Sunday night Sports Betting pick!

Sports Betting Pick: Minnesota +2 ½