Injured Sam Bradford Still Out, But Vikings Favored Against Lions

On paper, the Vikings are having quarterback problems. They’re dealing with an injured Sam Bradford (knee) and an even-more-injured Teddy Bridgewater (knee, but worse), and both signal-callers are out for at least the next few games. That said, the Vikings are still 2-point favorites against the Lions in the teams’ Week 4 matchup. Given that the Lions have a superior quarterback, higher-scoring offense, and a defense pretty much identical to Minnesota’s, it’s curious that they’re the underdogs. Maybe it’s because they’re playing in the Vikings’ house this Sunday.

Or maybe it’s because Minnesota is starting journeyman Case Keenum, an NCAA legend who had the best game of his career in the NFL just last week, throwing for 369 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of course, the Bucs give up 70.2 more yards per game through the air than the Lions do, so some of Keenum’s statistical outlook could be tempered. Overall, Keenum is a worthy backup for the injured Sam Bradford, but he hasn’t yet shown the reliable ability to improvise against decent pass defenses.

Injured Sam Bradford or not, I’m not sure the Vikings will cover the spread against the Lions in Week 4. If I were putting my money on this game, I think I’d pick the underdogs, as I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lions beat the spread or even win outright. It also seems likely that the Lions vs. Vikings over/under will clear the 42.5 threshold set by Bovada et al. Betting on the Lions this Sunday could pay off. After all, it’s not every day you get to flip the script and pillage some Vikings.

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