Two 5-5 teams who have been frustrating their fan bases and the sports betting community meet Sunday afternoon in San Francisco as the 49ers welcome the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota has won two in a row, beating the Los Angeles Chargers on the road and edging the Green Bay Packers on the last play of the game last week. The 49ers have also won two in a row, thrashing the Los Angeles Rams two weeks ago on Monday Night Football and routing Jacksonville on the road last week.
Which team will creep back into wild card consideration by getting their sixth win? Check out our prediction.
NFL Preview: Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, November 28)
When: Sunday, November 28, 2021, 4:25 pm ET
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
TV: FOX
Radio: KFXN FM Minneapolis / KNBR 680 AM San Francisco
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: San Francisco -3 / O/U 49 // Minnesota +145 / San Francisco -170
Why should you bet on the Vikings?
The Vikings have been an enigma all season long. Nine of their ten games have been determined by one score or less, and they have had a fairly difficult schedule. There are some who consider Minnesota the best team in the league that does not have a winning record, and we saw some signs of this in their win over Green Bay last week. Kirk Cousins threw for 341 yards, with eight of his completions going to Justin Jefferson for 169 yards and two scores. Tailback Dalvin Cook ran for 86 yards and a score, keeping the Packer defense honest.
When the Vikings can get that balance on offense and avoid the backbreaking Kirk Cousins interception, they are tough to beat. Their defense was awful last year; this year, it can get stops at key times. It bent against Green Bay last week, especially in the second half, but the offense they face this week is not nearly as productive as the Packers’. If you like Minnesota, you see their offense keeping Jimmy Garoppolo off the field and dominating time of possession…while finishing drives with touchdowns.
Why should you put your money on the 49ers?
The 49ers’ offense has also improved lately, putting up 111 points in their last four games combined. Jimmy Garoppolo continues to struggle with consistency, but he has done a decent job managing the offense, with Deebo Samuel the real hero, both through carrying the ball and catching passes. He is the top player in the league in missed tackles forced per carry (with a minimum of 25 carries) since 2019, and this has been a breakout year for him.
Elijah Mitchell has been another force for San Francisco’s running game, taking advantage of injuries above him in the depth chart. George Kittle has not been as much of a weapon this year as he has been in seasons past, but the 49ers have shown they can move the ball against some stout defenses by establishing a physical running game and then completing timely passes. If you like San Francisco, you see them taking the physicality of the game right to the Vikings and imposing their will on them, much like they did in their win over the Rams and then again last week in Jacksonville.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
Obviously, when you’re looking at two .500 teams, you’re dealing with inconsistency for both teams. I’m more impressed with San Francisco’s defense than I am with Minnesota’s, so I’m going to take the 49ers in a 27-23 win.
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers : Bet the Game Today
NFL Betting Odds
Love betting NFL football? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date NFL lines
Check out XBet’s NFL Calendar: Dates, Scores, Tips, Previews, and Predictions
