The New England Patriots will try to keep rolling when they visit the Minnesota Vikings as part of the 2022 NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule at US Bank Stadium. After starting the season 1-3, the Patriots (6-4) have won five of their last six games, including their last three in a row. They are coming off a thrilling 10-3 win over the Jets thanks to Marcus Jones’ 84-yard punt return touchdown with five seconds left. On Thanksgiving, New England faces a team from Minnesota that has been one of the NFL’s biggest upsets. The Vikings (8-2) lead the NFC North and hold the second-best record in the conference.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET. Minnesota is a 2.5-point favorite in Caesars Sportsbook’s latest Vikings vs. Patriots odds, while the plus/minus for total runs scored is 42.5. Before you make your own Patriots vs. Vikings picks, you need to hear what SportsLine’s resident Vikings expert RJ White has to say.
White, a fantasy and games editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes as SportsLine’s #1 NFL expert in picks against the spread and went 445-378-24 on his 2017-21 ATS picks, which brought in $2,542 to $100 players. He also went a whopping 52-28-4 (+$2,053) on his last 84 picks involving the Vikings, meaning he’s well qualified for this selection. Everyone who followed him is upstairs.
Now he’s locked Vikings against Patriots on the 2022 NFL Thanksgiving schedule and posted a confident pick against the spread. Go to SportsLine to see it. Here are the NFL lines and trends for Patriots vs. Vikings:
- Difference Vikings vs. Patriots: Minnesota -2.5
- Vikings vs. Patriots Over/Under: 42.5 points
- Silver line Vikings vs Patriots: Minnesota -145, New England +120
- MIN: WR Justin Jefferson ranks second in the league in receiving yards (1,093)
- NE: LB Matthew Judon leads the NFL in sacks (13)
Why Vikings Can Cover
Minnesota’s Za’Darius Smith is a relentless forward who is a constant presence in an opponent’s backfield. The two-time Pro Bowler has 9.5 sacks this season, which ranks him fourth in the NFL. He also has a career-high 14 tackles for loss, which is tied for second in the league.
Additionally, Dalvin Cook is a rushing and receiving threat for the Vikings. Over the past six games, the 27-year-old running back has averaged 5.8 yards per touch and 103.2 scrimmage yards per game. He also scored six touchdowns during that span. See which team to choose here.
Why the Patriots can cover
New England’s pass rush has a solid matchup against Minnesota’s offense. The Patriots rank second in the NFL in sacks (36), behind only the Cowboys (42). Last week, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked a career-high seven times by Dallas in a 40-3 loss.
Also, receiver Jakobi Meyers is having the best season of his young career. The 26-year-old has three receiving touchdowns this season, including two in the last four games, which is more than he had at the start of the season (two). He also averages a career-high 63.6 receiving yards per game. See which team to choose here.
How to make choices between Vikings and Patriots
White has analyzed this game and while we can tell you he’s leaning under, he’s uncovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the gap a must. He shares it only on SportsLine.
Who wins Patriots vs. Vikings as part of the 2022 NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread unavoidable? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Patriots vs. Vikings spread you should jump to, all from the NFL expert who commands 52-28 on picks involving Minnesota.