Adrian Peterson won't have to wait long to face his former team. A.P. and the New Orleans Saints visit the Minnesota Vikings in the first half of a Monday Night Football double-header in Week 1.
The line is Vikings -3, meaning Vegas thinks Minnesota will win by 3 points. The Over-Under, or total projected points, is unchanged from its open at 48.
Before you make any bets on Saints-Vikings, you'll want to hear what Mike Tierney has to say.
Tierney went an outstanding 22-9 on NFL Over-Unders last season. This year, he's already 2-0 after cashing the Under in Raiders-Titans and Cowboys-Giants on Sunday.
One reason Tierney has had so much success: he's full of inside information. He's reported from seven Super Bowls and is a well-known national sportswriter. Anyone who followed his picks last season was well-rewarded.
According to Tierney, Drew Brees' effectiveness is severely diminished on the road and the Vikings' home field advantage is heightened at night. Therefore, it's no surprise that Tierney is leaning Vikings -3 for his against-the-spread pick. And SportsLine's projection model agrees, calling for a 6-point Vikings win.
But what about the total, which is what Tierney has made his name picking?
The Saints' offense was ranked No. 1 last year and the Vikings' defense was No. 3. As a result, Saints games generated about 58 points, Minnesota's just under 40. This total (48) virtually splits the difference.
The Saints' defense should also improve from its No. 27 ranking last year. In fact, New Orleans has spent two of its first three draft picks on defense for the last seven years. But, that doesn't mean you should automatically go Under, especially since the Vikings offense looks improved this season, Peterson is facing his old team, and Drew Brees has thrown for more than 30 TDs the last nine seasons.
Tierney knows there's a huge x-factor that ultimately determines whether Saints-Vikings goes Over or Under. And it's definitely not what much of the betting public might think.
So which side should you back in Saints vs. Vikings on Monday Night Football? And does this game go Over or Under? Visit SportsLine now to see whether each team's big off-season moves will send Saints-Vikings Over or Under, and see which side of the total you need to be all over, all from the expert who was blistering hot in total plays last season.
