The teams that were finalists in their respective divisions will square off on Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Las Vegas Raiders in an NFL Week 1 2022 preseason game. The Vikings, who finished second to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North last season at 8-9, will make their 2022 preseason debut. The Raiders (1-0) are coming off a 27-11 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 4 in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. Las Vegas finished second to the AFC West, two games behind the Kansas City Chiefs, at 10-7 in 2021.
Kickoff from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins will miss the game after testing positive for COVID-19. Las Vegas is a four-point favorite in Caesars Sportsbook’s latest Vikings vs. Raiders odds, while the plus-under for total runs scored is 36. Before making any Raiders vs. Vikings picks or bets, make sure to check out SportsLine’s NFL predictions from RJ White.
Over the past seven years, White, a CBS Sports Fantasy and Gambling editor, has scored 329-250-21 (56.8%) in the world’s most prestigious soccer handicapping competition, the Las Vegas Super Contest. He’s also SportsLine’s No. 1 NFL expert, going 445-378-24 on his 2017-21 NFL picks against the spread, netting $2,542 for $100 players.
Additionally, White is 41-21-3 on his last 65 ATS picks involving the Vikings. Everyone who followed him is upstairs.
Now White has focused on Raiders vs. Vikings and has just locked down his NFL picks and predictions. You can head over to SportsLine now to see its picks and analysis. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for Vikings vs. Raiders:
- Vikings vs. Raiders spread: Las Vegas -4
- Vikings vs. Raiders over-under: 36 points
- Money line Vikings vs. Raiders: Minnesota +175, Las Vegas -210
- MIN: Vikings went 0-3 last preseason and outscored 73-41
- LV: Raiders were 2-1 in 2021 preseason, with 1-0 at home
- Vikings vs. Raiders pick: See the picks on SportsLine
Featured Game | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings
Why the Raiders can cover
Las Vegas will have another look at quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Nick Mullens, who got the majority of the snaps against the Jaguars. Both players looked solid, with Stidham completing 8 of 15 passes for 96 yards, while Mullens was 8 of 11 for 72 yards. Stidham, a New England Patriots fourth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, is looking to resurrect his career after two seasons with the Patriots that saw him complete 24 of 48 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions. Mullens is in his fourth season, seeing action in just one game last year with the Cleveland Browns. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Last week’s leading running back for the Raiders was Zamir White, who had a team-high 11 times for 52 yards (4.7 average). The fourth-round rookie from Georgia is considered a power runner and is trying to overcome a pair of ACL injuries. Austin Walter, a third-year Rice player, is looking for a home after bouncing back and playing for three teams in three years. Last year for the New York Jets, Walter had limited action, playing in four games, carrying 26 times for 101 yards (3.9 average) and scoring. He carried eight times for 49 yards (6.1 average) and a TD against Jacksonville. Both could see significant game time on Sunday.
Why Vikings Can Cover
With Cousins down with COVID-19, look for reserve quarterbacks Kellen Mond and Sean Mannion to see the action. Both backups played a game a year ago, with Mond completing 2 of 3 passes for five yards, while Mannion was 22 of 36 (61.1%) for 189 yards and a touchdown. Mannion is in his seventh season after being a third-round pick for the St. Louis Rams in 2015. He has one career touchdown and three picks. Mond was a third-round pick for Minnesota a year ago.
KJ Osborn is expected to get some work as he tries to lock down the No. 3 wide receiver position and looks to impress new coach Kevin O’Connell. Osborn, a Vikings fifth-round selection in 2020, had a strong season a year ago. He finished with 50 receptions for 655 yards (13.1 average) and seven touchdowns.
How to Make Vikings vs. Raiders Picks
For Sunday’s NFL preseason game, White looks at the total, but he also says a critical X factor makes one side of the gap a must. You can find out what it is and see all of White’s NFL picks and analysis on SportsLine.
Who wins Raiders vs. Vikings on Sunday? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread unavoidable? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Vikings vs. Raiders spread you should jump to, all from the expert who’s on a 41-21 run picking Minnesota ATS, and find out.