Vikings Are Slim Favorites in NFL Lines vs. Rams in Week 11

Vikings Are Slim Favorites in NFL Lines vs. Rams in Week 11

Written by on November 16, 2017

If before the season you predicted that a Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings would feature a pair of 7-2 teams that were leading their divisions, well, I’d like you to go buy a lottery ticket for me. Minnesota is a short home NFL lines favorite for Sunday’s showdown, with the Vikings at -2.5 in Week 11.

LA Rams at Minnesota NFL Lines & Week 11 Game Info

When: Sunday, 1 PM ET Where: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis TV: Fox RadioESPNLA 710AM (LA) / KFAN 1270 AM (Minnesota) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Lines: Vikings -2.5 (46)

Weather Forecast

  • Clear: 1°C/33°F
  • Humidity: 37%
  • Precipitation: 0%
  • Wind: 8 mph SW
  • Cloud Cover: 10%
  • Type of Stadium: Indoor

Top Expert NFL Week 11 Picks to Bet Straight Up

Last Meeting

In 2015, Minnesota beat the St. Louis Rams 21-18 in overtime. Adrian Peterson rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries, helping set up Blair Walsh’s 40-yard field goal in overtime. Neither are with the Vikings now. Teddy Bridgewater was Minnesota’s QB but knocked out with an injury. Greg Zuerlein made four field goals for the Rams, including a 53-yarder with 17 seconds left in regulation. Nick Foles completed 18 of 33 passes for 168 yards for the Rams, who punted eight times and were penalized 12 times for 87 yards.

Latest NFL Lines Trends

  • LA Rams are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games
  • LA Rams are 6-1 SU in the last 7 games
  • The total went OVER in 4 of LA Rams’s last 5 games on the road
  • Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games
  • Minnesota is 5-0 SU in the last 5 games
  • The total went OVER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 6 games at home

Why Bet On LA Rams?

The Rams, who lead the NFC West with that 7-2 record, have won four games in a row, including last week’s 33-7 victory over Houston. Los Angeles leads the NFL averaging 32.9 points per game. The NFL Most Improved Player favorite Jared Goff passed for 355 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions last week and is the first player in team history to pass for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in consecutive games. With at least 300 passing yards, three touchdown passes and zero interceptions on Sunday at Minnesota, Goff will join Tom Brady (2007) as the only players in NFL history to accomplish the feat in three consecutive games. Receiver Robert Woods had eight receptions for a career-high 171 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ win against Houston in Week 10. Woods, who had a 52-yard touchdown catch in Week 9 and a 94-yard touchdown reception in Week 10, can become the fifth player since 1970 with a touchdown reception of at least 50 yards in three consecutive games. Rams Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald missed the first game of this season while holding out in hopes of a lucrative contract extension, and he is still tied for the NFL lead in quarterback hurries with 52. The man he is tied with, Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram, has had 55 more pass-rush snaps. The Rams’ special teams have been good too. Zuerlein is on pace for a scoring record. Zuerlein easily leads the NFL by accounting for 114 points while making 28 of 29 field goals and all 30 extra-point attempts. He is on pace for 203 points, which would shatter the record for points in a single season of 186, set by former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 32.89
  • Total Yards: 388.89
  • Pass Yards: 260.67
  • Rush Yards: 128.22
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 18
  • Total Yards: 321.78
  • Pass Yards: 203.78
  • Rush Yards: 118

Why Bet On Minnesota?

The Vikings lead the NFC North with their 7-2 record and have won five consecutive games, including last week’s 38-30 win at Washington as quarterback Case Keenum threw four touchdown passes. Yet Coach Mike Zimmer waited until Wednesday of this week to name Keenum – who spent the past two years with the Rams – as the starter vs. L.A. The decision to ride out the momentum with Keenum for another week delays the return of Teddy Bridgewater, who was activated to the 53-man roster last week. Keenum has the NFL’s third-best Total QBR (72.6), behind injured Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott. In Sam Bradford’s absence, Keenum has orchestrated a Vikings passing attack that ranks 12th in the NFL with 245.8 yards per game. Keenum is 5-2 in his starts for the Vikings. Are the Vikings a safe bet in NFL odds for Week 11? RBs Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray have filled the void left by rookie starter RB Dalvin Cook helping the Vikings rush for 126.0 yards per game since Week 5, eighth in the NFL in that span. WR Adam Thielen is third in the NFL with 793 receiving yards and tied for seventh in the NFL with 56 receptions. He now has three career games (two in 2017) with at least 150 receiving yards, the most among active players who were not drafted. The Vikings defense has held opponents to 294.6 yards per game (fifth in the NFL) and 18.3 points per game (tied for fifth in the NFL). The Vikings defense has limited opponents to 81.3 rushing yards per game (third in the NFL) and 3.4 yards per rush (second in the NFL). Minnesota has not allowed a 100-yard rusher this season. Linval Joseph, the NFL’s leader in run stops, is the anchor of a defense that holds teams to fewer than 2.4 yards after contact. The Vikings defense also ranks fifth in the NFL in opponent passer rating on third downs, holding teams to a 58.9 rating, and hold opponents to 5.0 pass yards/attempt, the third-lowest mark in the NFL.

Team Statistics

Offense:
  • Average Score For: 24.11
  • Total Yards: 363.78
  • Pass Yards: 245.78
  • Rush Yards: 118
Defense:
  • Average Score Against: 18.33
  • Total Yards: 294.55
  • Pass Yards: 213.22
  • Rush Yards: 81.33

Series History

  • Total Meetings: 44
  • First Meeting: November 5th, 1961. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Los Angeles, California
  • Last Meeting: November 8th, 2015. TCF Bank Stadium. Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • All-Time Series: Minnesota Vikings 26-16-2
  • Largest Margin of Victory: LA Rams 39-3 (1967)
  • Longest Win Streak: Minnesota (1987-1998)
  • Current Win Streak: Minnesota 4 (2009-2015)

Expert Prediction & NFL Pick for Week 11

The Rams are unbeaten on the road, but Minnesota’s a much better team generally at home. Give the points in the NFL lines.