NFL Trends and Indexes - Week 16 (Sat., Dec. 21 - Mon., Dec. 23)

[Udog]

Betting Recap - Week 16
Joe Williams

Overall Notes

National Football League Week 16 Results
Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 10-5
Against the Spread 8-6-1

Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 8-7
Against the Spread 7-7-1

Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 6-9

National Football League Year-to-Date Results
Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 134-82-1
Against the Spread 106-121-8

Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 127-107-1
Against the Spread 100-127-8

Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 115-119-1

The largest underdogs to win straight up
Cardinals (+8, ML +350) at Seahawks, 27-13
Raiders (+7.5. ML +280) at Chargers, 24-17
Jets (+3, ML +155) vs. Steelers, 16-10
Eagles (+2.5, ML +120) vs. Cowboys, 17-9

The largest favorite to cover
Ravens (-10) at Browns, 31-15
Broncos (-8) vs. Lions, 27-17
Falcons (-7.5) vs. Jaguars, 24-12
Chiefs (-7) at Bears, 26-3
Colts (-7) vs. Panthers, 38-6
Patriots (-6.5) vs. Bills, 24-17

The Art of Falconry

-- The Atlanta Falcons were just 1-7 SU heading into their Week 9 bye, and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that head coach Dan Quinn would be fired, and that there would be some major staff and personnel changes. The Falcons banded together in Week 10 and pulled off a stunner, winning 26-9 at 13.5-point underdogs in New Orleans on Nov. 10, and that kicked off a 5-2 SU run to get back to 6-9 SU heading into the Week 17 finale at Tampa Bay.

For the Falcons, they have showed no quit, and their defensive line play has been brutal - to opposing quarterbacks - in the second half. As mentioned, they face the Bucs in Week 17 at Raymond James Stadium, as the revenge tour continues. Bettors are finding the Falcons to be a tremendous value lately. They started out 1-6 ATS in the first seven games, but they're 6-2 ATS across the past eight contests. That includes a 3-0 ATS run on the road, which makes them worth watching heading into the RayJay on Sunday. The Falcons are 2-5-1 ATS in the past eight trips to Tampa, while the home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The 'over' is also 6-1 in the previous seven.

Total Recall

-- There were two games with a total of 50 or greater -- Houston Texans-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (50.5) and Arizona Cardinals-Seattle Seahawks (51) each ended up going under.

The Saturday game between the Texans and Bucs never materialized into a shootout. Well, it started out that way, as the teams combined for 34 points in the first half, but they totaled just three field goals in the final 30 minutes. It's like someone turned off the offensive spigot.

In the game with the highest total on the board, one of the starting quarterbacks was lost to injury. So that's understandable why the game ended up going under - although it's not the quarterback you'd think. QB Kyler Murray (hamstring) left the game early in the second half due to injury, but the Cards offense didn't skip a beat. They kept their foot on the gas, as supposed MVP candidate QB Russell Wilson didn't do much of anything on offense. The Seahawks had two scoreless quarters, and they managed a total of just 13 points on their home turf. The two games with a total of 49 -- Baltimore Ravens-Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints-Tennessee Titans -- ended up splitting. The Ravens did their part, but the Browns managed just 15 points after hanging a 40-burger on Balto. earlier this season. The Saints and Titans combined by 66 points in the third-highest scoring game of the weekend.

The Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Jets (36.5) was easily the lowest score on the board, and it never came close to hitting 'over'. The Steelers and Jets were tied 10-10 at halftime, but Pittsburgh's passing offense tossed up a bunch of 'ducks', and they were unable to score in the final 30 minutes. The Jets didn't do much better, scratching out just two field goals, but they ended up falling 16-10 to old buddy RB Le'Veon Bell and the Jets in a costly loss.

The Sunday nighter between the Kansas City Chiefs-Chicago Bears (45.5) hit the 'under', now 13-4 on the season. We have one more night game Monday between the Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings (47) still pending. The 'over' is just 17-30 (36.2%) during the 2019 primetime schedule, a stark change from previous seasons when the games under the lights were high-scoring affairs.

Officially, the 'over' finished 26-25 (51.0%) in 51 games under the lights.

In 2017, the 'over' finished 25-23-1 (52.1%) in 49 primetime games.

In 2016, the 'over' in night games went (52.9%) through 51 games.

In 2015, the 'over' finished 20-28-1 (41.7%) in 49 primetime games.

In 2014, the 'over' went 33-17 (66.0%) in primetime games, and the 'over' was 28-22 (56.0%) in 2013.

Looking Ahead to Week 17

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

The Chargers are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings, but 5-2 ATS in the past seven trips to Arrowhead. The road team is 8-1 ATS in the past meetings.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

The Dolphins are 0-7 ATS in the past seven trips to Foxboro, and 2-5 ATS in the past seven meetings overall. The favorite is 10-4 ATS in the past 14 meetings, and the home team is 13-3 ATS in the past 16 in this series.

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

The Saints are 0-4 ATS in the past four in this series, but 4-1 ATS in the past five trips to Charlotte. The road team is 5-2 ATS in the past seven, with the underdog 10-1 ATS in the previous 11 meetings.

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

The home team has cashed in six of the past eight meetings in this series. The Bears are 5-0 ATS in the past five meetings, and the under is 6-2 in the past eight meetings in Minnesota.

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

The favorite has cashed in eight of the past nine meetings in this series, while the Browns are 2-8 ATS in the past 10 in the series. The over is 3-0-1 in the past four meetings, and 6-2 in the past eight battles in Cincinnati.

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

The Jets are 2-5 ATS in the past seven trips to Buffalo, with the underdog 20-8 ATS in the past 28 meetings in this series.

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

The Packers are 0-5 ATS in the past five meetings, with the favorite 19-7 ATS in the past 26 in this series. The over is 6-2 in the past eight meetings, with the over 4-0 in the past four at Ford Field.

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

The Redskins are 9-3 ATS in the past 12 trips to Dallas, with the road team 8-3 ATS in the past 11 meetings. The underdog is also 27-12 ATS in the past 39. The over is 7-1 in the past eight meetings, including 4-0 in the past four in Dallas.

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams

The Cardinals are 0-5 ATS in the past five meetings in L.A., with the favorite 6-0 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 4-1 in the past five in SoCal, and 4-1 in the past five meetings overall.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

The Eagles are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings, but 9-3 ATS in the past 12 meetings in New Jersey. The road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings, and the underdog is 4-1 ATS in the past five in this series. The over is 6-2 in the past eight meetings overall, and a perfect 7-0 in the past seven meetings in New Jersey.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

The Titans are 0-5 ATS in the past five trips to Houston, and 4-12 ATS in the past 16 meetings in this series. The home team is 6-1 ATS in the past seven in this series. The over is also 7-1 in the past eight meetings in Houston.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts are a dismal 0-4 ATS in the past four trips to Jacksonville, and 1-7-1 ATS in the past nine meetings overall. The under is also 12-5 in the past 17 meetings in this series.

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

The Raiders are a perfect 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings, but the favorite is 10-4-1 ATS in the past 15 in the series and the home team is 6-1 ATS in the past seven. The under is also 6-0 in the past six in this series, and 4-0 in the past four in Denver.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

The road team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings, with the underdog 4-0 ATS in the past four. The under is also 5-0 in the past five battles in Baltimore.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers are 1-6-1 ATS in the past eight meetings in Seattle, while going 3-12-1 ATS in the past 16 meetings overall. The over is also 6-2 in the past eight in this series.

[Udog]

NFL Week 17 opening odds and early action: Favored 49ers draw money for big clash vs Seahawks
Patrick Everson

It’s on to Week 17 in the NFL, with all 16 games on Sunday, and there’s plenty at stake in terms of the playoff field and seeding. We check in on the opening odds and early action for a quartet of games, with insights from John Murray, director of The SuperBook at Westgate in Las Vegas.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (+2.5)

The final Sunday nighter of the regular season is a dandy, in which San Francisco will either remain the NFC’s No. 1 seed or drop to No. 5. The 49ers (12-3 SU, 8-6-1 ATS), who in Week 15 tumbled from first to fifth, got back to No. 1 in Week 16 by topping the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 as 7-point home faves.

Seattle pulled a San Francisco in Week 16, dropping from the NFC’s top seed to No. 5 with an unexpected toe-stubbing at home. The Seahawks (11-4 SU, 7-7-1 ATS) went off as 8-point favorites against Arizona and were dealt a 27-13 outright loss to relinquish the NFC West lead.

In Week 10, the Seahawks beat the Niners 27-24 in overtime getting 6.5 points on the road.

“We opened the 49ers -2.5 (-120) and are now up to -3,” Murray said. “Seattle is very banged up. This one is pretty straightforward. Both teams want the game. We just don’t think Seattle is healthy enough to deal with this 49ers team.”

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-2.5)

Pittsburgh was in the playoff field prior to Sunday, but not afterward in losing control of its playoff destiny, though there are still multiple ways for the No. 7 seed to move back in. The Steelers (8-7 SU, 9-6 ATS) had a sluggish effort against the New York Jets, losing 16-10 as 3-point road favorites.

Meanwhile, Baltimore has nothing to play for, with home-field advantage wrapped up throughout the AFC playoffs, thanks to its 11-game SU win streak (8-3 ATS). The Ravens (13-2 SU, 9-6 ATS) beat Cleveland 31-15 as 9.5-point road favorites.

“This was the hardest number to set,” Murray said. “The Ravens have home field clinched, and the Steelers have to win to have a shot to get in. Will the Ravens bench all of their starters? Or will they want the guys to get some reps with a bye coming the next week? We will be watching Twitter on this one.”

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans (+4.5)

Houston has the AFC South and a playoff bid wrapped up, and it’s now just a matter of whether Bill O’Brien’s squad will be the No. 3 or No. 4 seed, as it sits fourth right now. The Texans (10-5 SU, 7-7-1 ATS) edged Tampa Bay 23-20 laying 3 points in Week 16.

For Tennessee, it’s a pretty simple matter: win and go to the playoffs as a wild card, lose and hit the golf course. The Titans (8-7 SU, 7-7-1 ATS) got out to a 14-0 lead against New Orleans on Sunday, but gave up the next 24 points in a 38-28 loss catching 3.5 points at home.

“Houston is in as the AFC South winner. If the Titans win, they will likely play at Kansas City in the wild-card round,” Murray said. “This line is with an expectation that DeShaun Watson won’t play for the Texans.”

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (+6)

Philadelphia is in complete control of its playoff destiny, with a win-and-your-in scenario in Week 17. That’s because the Eagles (8-7 SU, 6-9 ATS) stifled rival Dallas 17-9 as 2-point home pups Sunday, taking a one-game lead over the Cowboys in the NFC East.

New York can potentially play the role of monster spoiler, provided it wins this week and Dallas beats visiting Washington. The Giants (4-11 SU, 7-8 ATS) have back-to-back victories for just the second time all season, after beating the Redskins 41-35 in overtime as 1-point home faves to cash for the fourth time in five weeks.

“We opened it Eagles -6 and are now at -5,” Murray said. “The Eagles win the division with a win here, but we don’t expect the Giants to go quietly. Philly was lucky to beat them two weeks ago and lucky to beat Washington last week. The Eagles are hardly world beaters.”

[Udog]

Bet Now/Bet Later NFL Week 17 odds: Take your time with the Texans
Jason Logan

The Houston Texans will be watching the Kansas City Chiefs closely before their late-afternoon kickoff against the Tennessee Titans in Week 17 of the NFL season.

NFL Week 17 is an odd week of action to handicap. Motivation and preparation come into play, with some teams looking ahead to the offseason and others planning for the postseason. That could mean rest for starters or going all out to better their playoff positioning.

Expect some wild line movement the closer we get to kickoff on Sunday (so get your Covers Live App alerts ready). To help you stay ahead of the moves, Senior Industry Analyst Jason Logan gives you his best Bet Now/Bet Later lines for Week 17: because it’s not always about betting the best team, but rather betting the best number.

SPREAD TO BET NOW: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

This NFC West finale was flexed to the Sunday night game due to it being the linchpin of the conference playoff pecking order. With a win, San Francisco is the top seed in the NFC and will hold home field through to the conference title game.

Seattle, on the other hand, can finish anywhere from No. 1 to No. 3 (depending on the outcome of Packers and Saints’ games) as long as it beats the Niners. However, that may be easier said than done after the Seahawks were roughed up in Sunday’s loss to Arizona. Running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise were lost for the season, piling on the problems for a roster that was already hurting on both sides of the ball.

This spread opened as low as San Francisco -2 and has already jump a full point to a field goal. Early action is on the 49ers and has books trimming the vig on Seattle +3, trying to entice some action on the wounded underdog. If you like the Niners here, get them -3 before you have to deal with that nasty half-point hook.

SPREAD TO BET LATER: TENNESSEE TITANS AT HOUSTON TEXANS (+4.5)

This spread already indicates that the Texans are planning to lay down in Week 17, with the AFC South locked up and the Titans trying to win the No. 6 spot. However, everything is not set in stone for Houston. It could jump from the No. 4 spot to the No. 3 spot if Kansas City loses to the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday.

Here’s the hook: the Chiefs host the Chargers at 1 p.m. ET while the Texans don’t face the Titans until 4:25 p.m. ET. Houston will be scoreboard watching and if the Chiefs do start running it up on the Bolts, you can expect to see this Tennessee-Houston spread climb as well before kickoff.

If you’re hunting for value with home dogs in Week 17 (A.J. McCarron is the Texans backup QB, BTW), wait it out and see how that Kansas City-Los Angeles game shakes down. A Chiefs win and Tennessee going all out will puff this pointspread up like it just had seconds of Xmas dinner.

TOTAL TO BET NOW: OVER 48 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Saints have plenty to play for in Week 17 and a win over Carolina can set the table for New Orleans to jump as high as No. 1 in the NFC playoff standings – given the other games involved trickle down in its favor.

With the way the Saints are scoring right now, they might be able to top this total all by themselves. New Orleans is averaging more than 39 points per game over its last three and with the spread for this one teetering on two touchdowns, bookies expect NOLA to light up the scoreboard.

Carolina has hemorrhaged points in recent weeks, allowing its last three foes to total 108 combined points. The Panthers are in audition mode in Week 17, kicking the tires not only on their young QBs but all players. Don't be surprised to see some life from Carolina, which won’t need to score much to get this one Over the number.

TOTAL TO BET LATER: UNDER 42.5 OAKLAND RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS

The Raiders have a chance of making the playoffs if everything breaks their way in Week 17. Oakland needs to beat the Broncos but also have the Titans, Steelers and Jaguars fall in their respective finales. Honestly, it’s not the wildest scenario. That motivation is inspiring some action on the Over, moving this total from as low as 41 to 42.5.

The Raiders gave fans a victory in L.A. this past Sunday – a crowd loaded with Silver and Black – and now play their second straight road tilt in the high altitude of Denver, where game-time temperatures will cool off around freezing Sunday. Oakland is averaging just 15 points over its last six games, staying Under the total in five of those contests.

Denver has remained sound defensively despite having little to play for, with an average of 20.8 points against over its last five outings. The Broncos will continue to interview rookie QB Drew Lock and would relish any chance to play postseason spoiler to their AFC West rival. These divisional foes have paid out to the Under in six straight meetings and anyone who likes the Under this Sunday should wait it out and get some added points on this total.

[Udog]

NFL Betting Stats - Monday, Dec 23:

Road Teams: 131-100-8 ATS
Home Teams: 100-131-8 ATS

Favorites: 107-124-8 ATS
Underdogs: 124-107-8 ATS

Home Faves: 59-83-6 ATS
Home Dogs: 41-48-2 ATS

Road Faves: 48-41-2 ATS
Road Dogs: 83-59-6 ATS

O/U: 116-123

[Udog]

MNF - Packers at Vikings
Tony Mejia

Green Bay at Minnesota (-5, 47), 8:15 pm ET, ESPN

The Vikings don’t have the pressure of missing the playoffs weighing them down as they take the field for this Monday night showdown with the Packers.

They’re safely in already and set to finish as the No. 5 seed or No. 6 seed. In order to win the NFC North, Minnesota would need to win here and then get help from lowly Detroit against Green Bay. Even at home, the Lions would have a difficult time containing Aaron Rodgers indoors considering their ghastly pass defense. If the Packers lose in Week 17 and the Saints fall in Carolina, Minnesota could finish as high as No. 2.

That elf on your shelf could also come to life and ask where he can get in on some Monday night props, but that’s probably not going to happen either.

In other words, this is somewhat of a freeroll for the Vikings. Win and they’ve got a great shot at the No. 5 seed, setting up a playoff rematch of the 2017 NFC Championship in Philadelphia. Lose and they’ll end up a larger underdog somewhere else. It wouldn’t be as ideal but they would at least have a seat at the table.

That makes this more of a perfect opportunity for Minnesota to get Kirk Cousins some much-needed big-game confidence than it is a burden you might normally see in Week 16. This isn’t do-or-die.

What’s really on the line here? It probably would be nice to have a chance to finish the season at U.S. Bank Stadium undefeated for the first time. The Vikings enter this one 23-7 straight up at home since the new building opened in 2016 and had a 7-1 mark there in ’17, so there’s a chance to make some history.

Beating the Packers would be nice too.

Green Bay has never won in Minnesota’s new home, coming in 0-3.

The Vikings were 1-9-1 over an 11-game stretch against Green Bay between 2010 and 2015 before finally winning the ‘15 regular-season finale to claim the NFC North that season, ultimately losing on Wild Card weekend when Blair Walsh missed that chip-shot. Their win over the Pack at Lambeau was their first over Rodgers under head coach Mike Zimmer and started a run that had seen them come into the season on a 5-1-1 spurt in the series.

Minnesota isn’t trying to go backwards by being swept again but the season will go on if it does.

Cousins wants to snap his remarkable 0-8 record on Monday nights that is used as an indictment of him being overpaid. That reputation won’t be erased until he wins a playoff game but he’s at least led the Vikings there after missing out after signing a three-year, $84 million deal prior to the start of last season. His QBR ranks third in the NFC, ahead of even Rodgers, but only the Green Bay quarterback got a Pro Bowl nod.

Cousins has thrown for 10 touchdowns against just one interception at home this season, compiling a passer rating of 126.0.

It absolutely would be nice to hold serve in a favorite’s role, so maybe the fact there isn’t any real pressure on this one will allow them to do just that. The NFL’s seventh-leading rusher, All-Pro Dalvin Cook, will be resting an ailing shoulder, which is another example of the Vikings looking ahead and treating this one as just another game. Despite the announcement that second-year back Mike Boone and rookie Alexander Mattison would get the carries in place of Cook, the number barely budged.

Despite this being Cousins vs. Rodgers, the Vikings are favored by more than most would probably have expected. In fact, the line opened at 4 and was been bet up to 5.5 points before coming down in some spots. More on that below. 1

Reverse line movement would be one reason to bet against Rodgers in a game where the Packers actually need the game more. If Green Bay pulls off an upset in Minneapolis and wins at Detroit, they have a shot at a first-round bye. Rodgers hasn’t had his most prolific season, but he’s still on pace to top 4,000 passing yards and has 24 TD passes against just two interceptions after sporting a 25/2 TD/INT ratio a season ago.

Aaron Jones is tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns with 14 and ranks second behind Panthers’ star Christian McCaffrey with 17 total scores. Top receiver Davante Adams comes off his fourth 100-yard game of the season and first since Nov. 10. He’s found the end zone four times over the last four games and is clearly over the nagging turf toe injury that compromised most of his season. His 39 TD receptions since the beginning of 2016 leads the NFL.

The Vikings have seen WR Stefon Diggs score in six straight games against Green Bay, while Adam Thielen has made 48 catches and scored four times in his last six games against the Packers. He’s healthy again after a hamstring injury stunted his momentum in October. With Cook sidelined, Minnesota may choose to air it out more against a Packers’ defense that ranks 22nd against the pass. For that reason, riding any props with Diggs or Thielen is advisable here.

TOTAL TALK

Oddsmakers sent out an opening total of 46 on this matchup and as of Monday morning, the total has moved up to 47 at most sportsbooks. Chris David of VegasInsider.com offered up his thoughts on the final MNF contest of the season.

“This isn’t an easy game to handicap since both clubs have clinched playoff berths and even if Minnesota wins, the odds of taking the division will come down to Detroit beating Green Bay at home next week as a heavy underdog,” said David. “I don’t see that happening and it appears that the Vikings are going to be the fifth or sixth seed in the playoffs, possibly a 12-win team too and that’s crazy but parity has been thrown out the window in the NFL this season.

“This series has watched the ‘under’ go 8-2 the last 10 meetings and that includes the result in Week 2 at Lambeau Field. The total on that game was 43 and the rematch has been juiced up, which sets off some alarms for me but the Packers enter this game on a 5-1 run to the ‘under’ and the offense has been very pedestrian (19.6 PPG) during this span. Expecting the attack to bust out against Minnesota seems foolish knowing the Vikings are ranked second in scoring defense (14.2 PPG) at home this season. Make a note that Minnesota has only faced one winning team at home, and it blasted Philadelphia 38-20 in Week 6. I expect a Vikings victory and if that happens, the defense should carry them. With that being said, I’d lean to the Packers Team Total Under (20 ½) here.”

Green Bay has watched the ‘under’ go 8-6 this season, which includes a 3-3 mark outside of Wisconsin. The offense has been inconsistent, looking great at Kansas City (31) and Dallas (34) but also embarrassing efforts at San Francisco (8) and the L.A. Chargers (11) cannot be forgotten. The Packers have scored 17, 10 and 14 points in their last three trips to Minnesota.

In David’s weekly total segment on the VI “Bet and Collect” podcast, he often hits on seasonal angles and total systems that have produced profits and this game hits on one popular angle. Listen to the podcast here.

LINE MOVEMENT

Green Bay Packers
Projected season win total: 9 (Over -140, Under +120)
Odds to win NFC North (pre-Week 1/current): 9/4 to 1/9
Odds to win NFC (pre-Week 1/current): 9/1 to 7/1
Odds to win Super Bowl (pre-Week 1/current): 20/1 to 14/1

Minnesota Vikings
Projected season win total: 9 (Over -125, Under +105)
Odds to win NFC North (pre-Week 1/current): 2/1 to 6/1
Odds to win NFC (pre-Week 1/current): 9/1 to 9/1
Odds to win Super Bowl (pre-Week 1/current): 20/1 to 20/1

ODDSMAKER'S TAKE

Caesars' Senior Oddsmaker Alan Berg provides insights from behind the counter.

"A sharp player laid 4 and 4.5 with the Vikings so we sat at 5.5 where we finally saw a little resistance to the Vikings" said Berg, whose terrific observations can be found on Twitter at @PercentBerg. "Nothing had come in to get us to come down again but a sharp guy took the 5.5 late Sunday. We have sharp support both ways now."

INJURY CONCERNS

With Cook sidelined, all eyes turn to Boone and Mattison. The latter, a rookie from Boise State who has been impressive when he’s gotten carries, is dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out at the beginning of the week. He was limited in participating on Saturday and carries a ‘questionable’ tag. Minnesota’s offense is in fantastic shape otherwise. Defensively, DT Linval Joseph (knee), DT Shamar Stephen (knee), corner Xavier Rhodes (ankle) and safety Jayvon Kearse (toe) are all expected to play.

The Packers have only ruled out backup tackle Josh Nijaman (triceps). Starting tackle Bryan Bulaga, often the key to that offensive line, is good to go. Reserve lineman Alex Light (illness) should be available, as should tight ends Jimmy Graham (wrist/groin) and Marcedes Lewis. Linebacker Blake Martinez, whose 140 tackles lead the NFL, is good to go despite calf and hand ailments. Corners Kevin King and Tramon Williams are also set to participate.

RECENT MEETINGS
(Packers 13-6-2 SU, 11-8 ATS last 19, UNDER 10-9)

9/15/19 Packers 21-16 vs. Vikings (GB -3, 43)
11/25/18 Vikings 24-17 vs. Packers (MIN -3.5, 48)
9/16/18 Vikings 29-29 OT at Packers (GB +2, 45)
12/23/17 Vikings 16-0 at Packers (MIN -8.5, 41)
10/15/17 Vikings 23-10 vs. Packers (MIN +3, 46)
12/24/16 Packers 38-25 vs. Vikings (GB -6, 44.5)
9/18/16 Vikings 17-14 vs. Packers (MIN +1.5, 43)
1/3/16 Vikings 20-13 at Packers (MIN +3, 45.5)
11/22/15 Packers 30-13 at Vikings (GB +1, 44)
11/23/14 Packers 24-21 at Vikings (MIN +7.5, 50)
10/2/14 Packers 42-10 vs. Vikings (GB -7.5, 47.5)
11/24/13 Packers 26-26 OT vs. Vikings (MIN +5.5, 44.5)
10/27/13 Packers 44-31 at Vikings (GB -7.5, 47.5)
12/30/12 Vikings 37-34 vs. Packers (GB -3, 46)
12/2/12 Packers 23-14 vs. Vikings (GB -7.5, 47)
11/14/11 Packers 45-7 vs. Vikings (GB -13, 50)
10/23/11 Packers 33-27 at Vikings (MIN +11, 47)
11/21/10 Packers 31-3 at Vikings (GB -3, 45)
10/24/10 Packers 28-24 vs. Vikings (GB -2.5, 44.5)

NEXT WEEK'S NUMBERS POSTED

The Westgate opens its advance lines for the following week on Tuesdays and Week 17 currently has the Packers as an 10-point home favorite over the Lions despite being on the road. The Vikes welcome in the Bears and have been installed as a 7-point favorite.