Drew Brees will play his second game since returning from a series of injuries when the New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day. After missing four games with 11 fractured ribs and a punctured lung, the Saints quarterback returned last week against Kansas City and had arguably his worst game of the season, completing just 15-of-35 passes for 234 yards, earning a season-low passer rating of 84.7. On NFL Christmas Day 2020, Brees will face a Vikings defense that allows 252.4 passing yards per game, ninth-most in the league.

Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on Christmas Day. New Orleans is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest Saints vs. Vikings odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 51. Before you make any Vikings vs. Saints picks, you need to see what SportsLine's resident Vikings expert, R.J. White, has to say. 

CBS Sports' fantasy and gambling editor, White has been SportsLine's top pro football analyst for three-plus seasons. Over that span, he has gone 344-282 on against-the-spread picks, returning $3,068 to $100 bettors.

He enters Week 16 on a sizzling 50-31-5 run on spread picks, including a 15-3 record the last three weeks, returning $1,505. It's no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world's most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest.

In addition, White has a keen eye for the Vikings. In fact, he has gone an incredible 36-13 on his last 49 against-the-spread picks involving Minnesota. Anyone who has followed his NFL picks is way up. 

Now, he has locked in on Vikings vs. Saints and released another confident against-the-spread pick. Go to SportsLine to see it. Here are the NFL lines and trends for Saints vs. Vikings:

  • Saints vs. Vikings spread: New Orleans -6.5
  • Saints vs. Vikings Over/Under: 51 points
  • Saints vs. Vikings money line: New Orleans -300, Minnesota +250
  • NO: Defense ranks third in the league in yards allowed per game (306.4)
  • MIN: RB Dalvin Cook averages 114.2 rushing yards per game

Why the Saints can cover

Defensive end Trey Hendrickson is having a breakout season. The 26-year-old pass-rusher is tied with Aaron Donald for second in the NFL in sacks (12.5), trailing only Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt (13.0). Led by Hendrickson, New Orleans has 40 sacks this season, which is tied for sixth in the league.

In addition, the Saints face a defense that has had a difficult time generating a pass rush. The Vikings' leader in sacks this season is Yannick Ngakoue with five. Ngakoue was traded in mid-October. Also, no Minnesota defensive lineman has more tackles for loss than Ngakoue (five).

Why the Vikings can cover

Rookie Justin Jefferson already has emerged as one of the top receivers in the league. He leads all rookies and ranks eighth among all players in receiving yards (1,182) and is sixth in yards per reception (16.2). Jefferson is coming off one of his best games of the year: a 10-catch, 104-yard performance against Chicago. 

In addition, New Orleans' run defense hasn't played up to its elite level recently. After not allowing a 100-yard rusher for 55 straight games, the Saints allowed two 100-yard rushers two weeks ago against Philadelphia. Last week, they gave up 179 rushing yards to Kansas City. That bodes well for star running back Dalvin Cook, who averages 114.2 rushing yards per game, second in the league behind only Tennessee's Derrick Henry.

How to make Vikings vs. Saints picks

White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning under the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing it here. 

Who wins Saints vs. Vikings on NFL Christmas Day 2020? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Vikings vs. Saints spread you should jump on, all from the top NFL expert who's a whopping 36-13 on Vikings picks, and find out.