Week 12 Vikings vs. Jaguars NFL Predictions

November 20, 2008 by Q

Peterson, Minnesota Vikings visit Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6 SU, 3-7 ATS), who have not executed the way they’ve wanted to this season, will try to change that on Sunday, when they play host tot he Minnesota Vikings (5-5 SU, 3-7 ATS) in NFL pro football sports betting action that is set to kick off at 1 PM ET at Municipal Stadium (natural turf) in Jacksonville.

Sunday, November 23
BetUS NFL betting odds: JACKSONVILLE -2.5, Total 40.5

NOTABLE STAT: Vikings are yielding 3.2 ypc on the ground
KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in last six road games

In the BetUS NFL football betting odds, the Jaguars are listed as a 2.5-point favorite, with a posted total of 40.5 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* MINN has covered one of its last five games
* MINN has won four of its last six games SU
* MINN has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* MINN has lost five of its last six road games SU
* MINN has covered one of its last six road games
* MIN has played four of its last five road games OVER the total
* JAX has covered two of its last seven games
* JAX has lost four of its last six games SU
* JAX has played 15 of its last 22 games OVER the total
* JAX is 0-5 ATS in its last five home games
* JAX has won 15 of its last 23 home games SU
* JAX has lost four of its last five home games SU
* JAX has played six of its last nine home games OVER the total

This actually looks like one of those games where Minnesota has most of the fundamental edges. The Jaguars have struggled with their offensive line all year, though truth be told, Jack Del Rio and staff have not done a bad job making something out of nothing. Maurice Jones-Drew has 499 yards and eleven touchdowns on the season, while Fred Taylor, who hasn’t crossed the goal line, has added 416 yards. But how well will that ground attack, running behind a pair of inexperienced guards, do against a Minnesota defense that has allowed just 3.1 yards a carry?

Maybe J-Ville’s hopes in that regard rest on the possible steroid suspensions of Kevin and Pat Williams, who are appealing their case to the NFL. Jared Allen got away with a fine for late hits, and that’s obviously a good thing for Minnesota, which at least has a pass rush. Jacksonville has registered just 19 sacks, and rookies Quentin Groves and Derrick Harvey have been a disappointment, chalking up just three sacks between them.

The story with David Garrard (63%, 8 TD’s, 6 INT’s) is that he hasn’t done well when having to depend on the pass, and the likelihood is that he will get less support from his running game than Gus Frerotte will get from his, with Adrian Peterson (1100 yards, 4.9 ypc) on hand. The Vikings need to improve performances on the road, having lost to Green Bay, Tennessee, Chicago and Tampa Bay. But the Jags have scored just one home win. And while Minnesota is fighting like hell in the midst of a three-way tie at the top of the NFC North (at 5-5 with Chicago and Green Bay), Jags’ coach Del Rio called his team’s playoff prospects “remote” this past week.

Let’s take the points with the Vikings, the 2.5-point underdog in the BetUS NFL pro football sports betting odds.