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Minnesota at Buffalo NFL Preseason Odds & Preview Week 1

Minnesota at Buffalo NFL Preseason Odds & Preview Week 1

Written by on August 10, 2017

NFL News and Betting Previews| Xbet.ag
The Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills both come into the 2017 season with questions to answer about their offenses. The Bills put Tyrod Taylor on the bench to end the 2016 campaign once former head coach Rex Ryan was out the door, in favor of EJ Manuel, but now it looks like Taylor will be the starter once again, depending on how the preseason goes. The Vikings roared out to a 5-0 start last year until the rest of the league realized that Sam Bradford didn’t have a decent tailback and didn’t have many quality receiving options. With Dalvin Cook coming to town, the Vikings will get a lot more exciting to watch. As these two teams take the field for their NFL preseason opener, let’s look at the latest preseason odds for this matchup.

Minnesota at Buffalo NFL Preseason Odds & Preview Week 1

When: Thursday, August 10, 2017, 7:00 PM ET Where: New Era Stadium, Orchard Park, NY TV: Local Affiliates Only Radio: KFXN 690 AM (Minneapolis) / WGR 550 AM (Buffalo) Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Preseason Odds: Buffalo -1, O/U 37.5

Why should you bet on the Vikings?

he Minnesota Vikings return with all 11 of the same first-team defensive players that they put on the field in 2016. The offense has Cook at tailback, as well as two new starters at the offensive tackle position — and potentially a new starting center if Pat Elflein can take the job from Nick Easton. Michael Floyd joins the Vikings’ receiving corps, giving Sam Bradford another new target as he seeks to put points on the board early in the game. Later in the game, the Vikings could see Latavius Murray at tailback, depending on the progress that his ankle has made during the week. These new weapons on offense give the Vikings an early edge.

Is Minnesota’s Defense Solid This Season?

That Viking defense, of course, will also have an advantage. Their defensive line is flush with depth all the way across, and the game should feature Minnesota winning the individual battles when the Bills’ offense is on the field. Mackensie Alexander will draw a considerable amount of attention at the nickel corner position, as that is really the only spot on that side of the ball that is up for competition. The Bills will have to show some promise on offense that they didn’t show down the stretch last year to get by the Vikings.

Why should you put your money on the Bills?

I don’t expect tailback LeSean McCoy to see a lot of action against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. Sammy Watkins, the talented but oft-injured wide receiver, is expected to play a quarter as he looks to shake off live-action rust. Tyrod Taylor looks forward to how the offensive system will roll under new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, who was Taylor’s quarterbacks coach in Baltimore when Taylor backed up Joe Flacco. The new emphasis for Taylor in this system will be putting the ball where he wants the receiver to go sooner, instead of waiting to see separation between receiver and defender before committing the ball. That waiting is what led to a lot of breakdowns the past few season — and to a lot of sacks. Are the Vikings a safe bet in this NFL Preseason matchup?

How is the Defense for Buffalo This Season?

Despite Rex Ryan’s philosophy as a physical coach, the Bills did not always play the most solid defense, and that will have to change, whether you’re talking about the Bills competing in the AFC East or just making it past the Vikings in this preseason opener. A new coach brings in some energy, and the Buffalo fan base is more than ready to back a winner. But can energy and commitment win a football game with a talent gap? In a case like this one, where so many starters for the better team will only see limited action, that gap can be overcome.

Minnesota vs Buffalo Game History

  • Total Meetings: 13
  • First Meeting: October 3rd, 1971. Metropolitan Stadium. Bloomington, Minnesota.
  • Last Meeting: October 19th, 2014. Ralph Wilson Stadium. Orchard Park, New York,
  • All-Time Series: Minnesota 8-5-0
  • Largest Margin of Victory: Minnesota 38-14 (2010)
  • Longest Win Streak: Minnesota (1971-1975)
  • Current Win Streak: Buffalo 1 (2014)

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I see Buffalo focusing more on outcome, while Minnesota focuses more on player evaluation. Because of that, I like Buffalo to come away with a 17-13 victory.
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