ATLANTA FALCONS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — December 8, 2024

ATLANTA FALCONS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — December 8, 2024 — Greetings, football fans. Welcome back to our NFL coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from Sunday’s slate features the Atlanta Falcons (6-6 SU, 5-7 ATS) squaring off against the Minnesota Vikings (10-2 SU, 7-4-1 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Kickoff

When: Sunday, December 8, 2024 @ 1:00 PM ET

Where: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN

TV: FOX

Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings — In-Season Stats & Betting Trends

Following back-to-back losses against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams in late October, the Vikings have quietly put together a five-game winning streak. This includes a 23-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13. Thanks to a Cardinals’ defense that generated five sacks, Minnesota failed to reach the end zone until late in the third quarter. But  with 1:13 left to play in regulation,  the Vikings took the lead for the first time when Sam  Darnold connected with Aaron Jones for his second touchdown pass of the second half. Darnold finished with 235 yards, including 104 in the final frame.

On the other side of this matchup, the Falcons are trending in the opposite direction. After producing six wins through their first nine games, the Falcons have dropped their last three contests, including a 17-13 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers. The Falcons did just about everything right in that game. They outgained Los Angeles 350-187, including a 116 to 56 advantage in rushing yards.

Atlanta limited the Chargers to 3-for-11 on third down and recorded five sacks. Furthermore, the Falcons won the time of possession battle by nearly 12 minutes (35:55 to 24:05). Unfortunately, this proved to be not enough, as Kirk Cousins (24 of 39 for 245 yards) threw four interceptions, including a pick-six late in the third quarter that put the Chargers ahead for good.

Can the Falcons snap their losing skid against a Vikings defense that leads the NFL in interceptions, or will Minnesota extend its winning streak to six games? Now that we have set the stage for this pivotal NFC showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

Hey, make sure you check out our picks on the GW Daily Picks page.

Falcons at Vikings Spread Analysis

Thanks to their five-game winning streak, the Vikings enter this matchup as a six-point favorite (via OddsShark.com). Let’s see how both teams have fared against the spread.

• The Vikings are 2-4-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.
• Minnesota is 0-6-2 ATS in its previous eight December contests.
• However, in their last six Sunday home outings, the Vikings are 4-2 against the spread.
• Meanwhile, the Falcons are 2-4 ATS in their last six games.
• Atlanta is 1-6 ATS in its previous seven matchups against NFC North opponents.
• The Falcons have covered the spread four times in their last six matchups against NFC teams.

Prediction: Minnesota Vikings (-6)

Falcons at Vikings Over/Under Prediction

The projected scoring total for this matchup is 45.5 points (via OddsShark.com). Here are a few trends that suggest why going with the “under” is the intelligent choice.

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Vikings’ last five games.
• The UNDER total is 5-1 in Minnesota’s previous six outings.
• In the Vikings’ last 10 matchups against Atlanta, the UNDER total has cashed in seven times.
• The total has gone UNDER five times in the Falcons’ previous six contests.
• The UNDER total has hit nine times in Atlanta’s last 11 December outings.
• In the Falcons’ previous 18 road games, the UNDER total boasts a 12-6 record.

Prediction: UNDER 45.5 points

Falcons at Vikings Player Prop Bet

Sam Darnold is the key player to watch for the home team in this contest. He currently has -120 odds of exceeding 256.5 passing yards and -110 odds of finishing with less than 256.5 yards (via DraftKings). Here’s how his numbers stack up against the projected yards total.

• During the season, Darnold is averaging 246 yards per game.
• In his lone career start against the Falcons (2021), he finished 13 of 24 for 129 yards without a touchdown or interception.
• Darnold averages 235.3 yards per outing in six home games this season.
• Across his last four starts, Darnold has averaged 263 yards per outing, exceeding the projected yards total for this matchup only once during that stretch.

Prediction: Sam Darnold UNDER 256.5 passing yards