Chasing the Chicago Bears in the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings hook up in a crucial matchup on Sunday Night Football. It's an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff from U.S. Bank Stadium. This is Aaron Rodgers' first game back in Minneapolis since Week 6 of last season when Anthony Barr broke his collarbone. These teams settled for a 29-29 tie in Week 2, and now, sportsbooks list Minnesota as a three-point home favorite. The Over-Under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 47.5 in the latest Packers vs. Vikings odds. Before you make any Packers vs.Vikings picks, check out what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.
The advanced computer model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. SportsLine's proprietary computer model went 176-80 last season and beat over 95 percent of CBS Office Pool players in 2016 and '17. It also performed better than 98 percent of experts tracked by NFLPickWatch.com during that span. Additionally, it went 48-34 on A-rated picks against the spread last season, and $100 bettors who followed it the past two seasons are up nearly $4,000.
The model has continued to nail its top-rated picks in 2018, entering Week 12 on a blistering 12-0 run. For the season, it is now 26-9 on all top-rated picks, extending its two-year run to a strong 74-43. And when it comes to all straight-up picks, the model is 105-53 this season, again ranking in the top 10 for NFLPickWatch.com. Anybody who has been following it is way, way up.
Now the model has dialed in on Vikings vs. Packers (stream live on fuboTV). We can tell you the model is leaning over, but it's also generated a strong point-spread pick that's cashing in nearly 60 percent of simulations. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
The model has factored in the Vikings' elite receiving corps. Adam Thielen is putting up massive numbers yet again this season. He's fourth in the NFL with 1,014 receiving yards and has found the end zone seven times. Stefon Diggs is a burner who caught 13 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown in last week's 25-20 loss at Chicago.
Minnesota is No. 5 in total defense, allowing just 320.8 yards per game. The Vikings are also just outside the top 10 in points allowed at 22.9.
But just because the Vikings sport an imposing offense led by Kirk Cousins' 19 TD passes doesn't mean they'll cover, especially against the Packers, who have scored at least 22 points eight times this season.
Rodgers has thrown for over 3,000 yards with 19 touchdowns and just one interception. He has two 400-yard games under his belt and was dynamic in the teams' first matchup by completing over 71 percent of his attempts for 281 yards.
The Packers boast an improving ground attack thanks to running back Aaron Jones, who's gouging defenses for 6.4 yards per carry. In his last game versus the Seahawks, Jones also had five grabs for 63 yards and a score.
Who wins Packers vs. Vikings? And which side covers nearly 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to be all over on Sunday night, all from the incredible computer model that has returned nearly $4,000 to $100 bettors.
