Vikings and Raiders

The Minnesota Vikings travel to Nevada to play against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 14th at 4:25 pm. This will be the second game the Raiders play this preseason after playing in the Hall of Fame game last week. The main storyline for both these teams is new head coaches. The Raiders signed former offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, Josh McDaniels, as their head coach. The Vikings signed Kevin O’Connell, who was the former offensive coordinator of the reigning Super Bowl champions, Los Angeles Rams. Both of these coaches are expected to give each team a competitive edge and better result than last season. During preseason, players are still fighting for a position on the final 52-man roster, so expect to see everyone at their best. Caesars Casino & Sportsbook has the match result odds at -210 Las Vegas and +175 Minnesota. Additionally, the over/under total points for the game is set at 36.0 with the over and under both being -110. New users will receive a Risk-Free Bet of up to $1500 on their first wager.

The Minnesota Vikings have expressed optimism for their expectations this season. Their offense contains a top 5 running back in the league with Dalvin Cook and a top 5 wide receiver in the league with Justin Jefferson. Interestingly, they have not been able to make it to the playoffs with these weapons. Now with a coach that produced a Super Bowl-winning offense, it will be interesting to see how these weapons will be used. The Vikings addressed their defense during the offseason, signing outside linebacker, Za’Darius Smith, and re-signing defensive end, Danielle Hunter. This preseason game will be played without starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, as he has COVID. This will give second-year quarterback, Kellen Mond, the opportunity to showcase his skills and let the team decide if he is an option to replace an aging Cousins.

The Las Vegas Raiders won their first preseason game against the Jaguars 27-11. It is still unknown if starting quarterback, Derek Carr, will take the field as he didn’t play last game. In the game against the Jaguars, the Raiders received the majority of the passing yards from the quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, who also rushed for a touchdown. It is unlikely that tight end, Darren Waller, and star wide receiver, Davante Adams, will participate in this match but their absences shouldn’t hinder the Raiders’ offensive play. The Raiders will use this game to start figuring out which players will make the final roster as well as give the coaches another game under them as a rough regular season awaits them.

In the end, this is a preseason match and it is unknown if the starters for both teams will play. However, I expect the Raiders to be in control for the majority of the game. After putting up 27 points last game, I expect them to score a similar amount in this matchup. The Vikings might surprise the Raiders with the play of their other quarterback, Sean Mannion, but it is unlikely that the duo of Mond and Mannion will give them the edge in the match. 

For our expert Minnesota Vikings vs. Las Vegas Raiders prediction take the over on the 36.0 total points scored in the game.