Football fans won’t have to wait until the afternoon for NFL action, as the Minnesota Vikings take on the Cleveland Browns at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday in London.
The Vikings enter this matchup against Cleveland as narrow 4.5-point favorites, while oddsmakers expect this to be one of the lower-scoring games of the year, with the over/under sitting at 36.5 points.
Will the Browns bounce-back with a win after getting decimated by the Lions in Week 4?
Find our expert Vikings vs. Browns predictions, picks, and best bets below.
Vikings vs. Browns Predictions and best bets
Minnesota Vikings under 20.5 team points:-125 at DraftKings
Carson Wentz over 0.5 interceptions:-160 at BetMGM
*Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.
Minnesota Vikings under 20.5 team points
Don’t let the recent scores fool you: the Vikings have struggled to put points up against good defenses.
Minnesota only scored six points (two field goals) through the first three quarters of last week’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers before getting a few garbage-time touchdowns.
And it’s difficult to even acknowledge the Vikings’ output versus the Bears and Bengals. This Browns defense, on the other hand, is a different beast.
Cleveland has the highest-graded overall defense (PFF) and highest-graded pass rush, which spells trouble with a capital “T” for the Vikings.
Minnesota can’t turn to the run, either, because the Browns rank first in opponent rushing yards per game and first (by far) in opponent rushing yards per attempt.
Carson Wentz over 0.5 interceptions
Getting -160 odds on Wentz to throw an interception against the league’s best defense feels criminal. How are we getting away with this?
Wentz will be going up against the Browns, a team that blitzes around the league average but still has the ninth-highest QB pressure percentage.
In short, Cleveland will get to him frequently, but it won’t be because it sent a ton of guys.
And for an immobile quarterback like Wentz, who has been ravaged by lower-body injuries to his knees and feet, scrambling won’t be much of an option.
At times, Wentz’s decision-making, in terms of when to get rid of the ball or take a sack versus throwing a risky pass, has been suspect.
Last week, Wentz got a taste of what life will be like against top-tier defenses when the Vikings played the Steelers; he threw an eye-opening 46 passes, resulting in two interceptions.
Wentz’s history against Cleveland has also been mediocre, as he threw five interceptions in three total games as a starter.
And this week, Wentz will be up against the best version of this Browns defense that he has seen.
Vikings vs. Browns moneyline odds analysis
Why Vikings could win as the favorite
Best odds:-190 at FanDuel
Minnesota blitzes the fourth-most of any team in the NFL, which results in the second-highest pressure percentage.
Unfortunately for rookie Dillon Gabriel, who will be getting his first career start under center, the Browns have the worst receiving corps in the league, as well as the third-lowest-graded pass blocking unit (PFF).
It wouldn’t shock me if the Browns fail to reach the endzone on Sunday, which should alleviate some pressure from the Vikings’ offense.
Minnesota will have to get a solid game from Wentz and its offense, but if it scores once or twice, that should be enough.
Why Browns could win as the underdog
Best odds:+180 at DraftKings
You can’t count out this Browns defense, especially against a struggling offensive team like Minnesota, which has a backup quarterback under center.
The Browns have the highest-graded overall defense, run defense, and pass rush, per PFF, allowing merely 223 yards of total offense to opponents.
Cleveland’s issues have come specifically on the offensive side of the ball, and now, the Browns will roll out rookie Dillon Gabriel under center for his first NFL regular-season action as a starter.
If Gabriel and the rest of the offense can reach double-digits, the Browns will have an outside chance of winning this game.
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