The Minnesota Vikings will take the field Sunday afternoon against Denver not knowing their playoff fate. The host Broncos are 3-point underdogs, with an over/under of 41.5.
Because of last week's loss to the Redskins, Minnesota must win and hope Washington loses at home to Dallas on Sunday. The Cowboys, however, have already locked up the top seed in the conference and figure to rest star receiver Terrell Owens while limiting quarterback Tony Romo, who is nursing a bruised right thumb.
Both Minnesota and Denver have solid ground games.
The Vikings boast the best tandem in the NFL in Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. With 1,305 yards, Peterson trails San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson by 113 yards and Pittsburgh's Willie Parker by 11 for the NFL rushing title. Parker, however, was placed on injured reserve, and Tomlinson isn't likely to play a full game as the AFC West champion Chargers face Oakland.
"He sure doesn't look like a rookie," Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan said of Peterson. "You could tell why his collegiate career was so impressive, even though he was hampered with some injuries.
However, Peterson may have hit the rookie wall. He has gained 3, 78 and 27 yards in his past three outings.
The Broncos, meanwhile, have nothing to play for and enter the game giving up an average of 140.7 yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry on the ground. But expect them to focus on Peterson.
Shanahan gets great production from a two-back system that uses RB Travis Henry and rookie Selvin Young.
Between the two of them they have gained 1,283 yards and average 4.9 yards per carry.However, the Vikings are holding opponents to 70.5 yards per game or 3.0 yards per carry. Only three teams have topped 100 rushing yards against the Vikings this season and only one - Dallas - gained more than 125 yards (128).
The Vikings own the worst defense in the NFL when it comes to defending the pass. They are giving up an average of 266.1 yards per game through the air. Five teams have topped 300 passing yards against the Vikings, eight have topped 250 yards.That could mean a big day from Denver QB Jay Cutler.
Cutler has been much more effective at home this season, throwing for 12 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 69.5 completion percentage. He has thrown seven touchdown passes and zero interceptions for a 124.4 passer rating in his last three home games.
Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson, meanwhile, has thrown five interceptions in his last two games after throwing two in his previous seven contests.
Even with a win Sunday, Denver is assured of its worst season since it finished 6-10 in 1999, and only its second losing season in the 13-year Shanahan era. The Broncos had been the only team in the league with a .500 record or better in every season since 2000.
Denver has lost four straight against NFC opponents and has only 16 total points in its last two games.
But the Vikings haven't won a December game with a game-time temperature of less than 50 degrees since defeating the New York Giants 34-17 at Giants Stadium on Dec. 26, 1999.
Overall, the Vikings have lost 13 of their past 15 outdoor games in December. The other victory came earlier this season at San Francisco, where it was 53 degrees at game time on Dec. 9. It is supposed to be a high of 41 on Sunday in Denver.
Prediction: Three NFC teams, the Vikings, Saints and Redskins, all must win to keep playoff hopes alive.
Past history would suggest all three of them doing so against teams with nothing to play is unlikely. And I think the Vikes are the ones going down. Denver 24, Minnesota 17.
Betting Trends
The Vikings are 7-6 ATS.
The Vikings are 3-2 ATS away.
The Vikings are 4-2 ATS as the favorite.
The Vikings are 1-0 ATS as an away favorite.
The Broncos are 4-11 ATS.
The Broncos are 3-4 ATS at home.
The Broncos are 2-5 ATS as the underdog.
The Broncos are 1-0 ATS as a home underdog.
More NFL Trends.
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