NY Giants at Minnesota Lines & Expert Pick

There have been four Monday Night Football games this season and all have been duds, each decided by double digits. I believe that trend will change this Monday night as the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings (3-0) host the New York Giants, who were preseason favorites on NFL odds to win the NFC East.

How to Bet on the NY Giants at Minnesota Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

.@OBJ_3 on the game plan for #NYGvsMIN on Monday Night! @MetLife FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/n4XBxr4tuS pic.twitter.com/WpiPdNl1XH

— New York Giants (@Giants) September 29, 2016

When: Monday, Oct. 3, 8:30 PM ET Where: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis TV: ESPN Stream: WatchESPN Radio: New York / Minnesota Opening NFL Lines: Minnesota -4.5 (43.5)

Why Bet on NY Giants?

The Giants (2-1) probably should have won last week but lost 29-27 at home to Washington. Dustin Hopkins kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:51 to play. After Hopkins put Washington ahead, the Giants got a first down at their own 39 with 69 seconds to play. On the next play, Eli Manning went over the middle to Shane Vereen and Su’a Cravens dived in front of the halfback and picked it off. Manning was 25 of 38 for 350. The Giants gained 457 yards in failing to gain their 700th franchise win. New York played stupid that game. Their center was kicked out of the game and they had a blocked punt in the fourth quarter negated by an unnecessary roughness penalty. The Giants missed several tackles, committed double-digit penalties (including a key pass interference call on Odell Beckham Jr. on the final drive) and continually put the ball on the ground. The Giants played that game without starting running back Rashad Jennings due to a thumb injury and he’s not likely to go there. The team lost Vereen, who started in Jennings’ place, to a season-ending triceps injury. Vereen was third on the Giants last season with 59 receptions. He set career highs in catches, yards and touchdown receptions. Bobby Rainey and Orleans Darkwa are the most likely to see their playing time spike. Darkwa ran 10 times for 53 yards and a touchdown against the Redskins. He also caught one pass for nine yards. Meanwhile, cornerbacks Eli Apple (hamstring) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) had to leave last week’s game because of injuries and are in question this week. For the first time since 1934, the Giants have failed to record an interception through the first three weeks of an NFL season. The Giants are one of two teams without an interception on the season, along with the New Orleans Saints. This begins a tough stretch for the Giants. Their four upcoming opponents have a combined record of 10-2, beginning Monday night against the undefeated Vikings. The Giants then turn around for another primetime game on the road against the Packers (2-1), return home to face the Ravens (3-0), and pack for a trip abroad against the Rams (2-1) before going on the bye.

Why Bet on Minnesota?

The Vikings pulled off a 22-10 upset in Carolina last week. The Vikings put the clamps on Cam Newton, intercepting the league’s reigning MVP three times and getting eight sacks, one of those resulting in a safety by Danielle Hunter. The eight sacks were the second-most ever against Newton. The Panthers were averaging 42 points per game in their last three home games and had won 14 straight there. Sam Bradford improved to 2-0 as the Vikings starter, completing 18 of 28 passes for 171 yards. With Adrian Peterson out for the season, Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon combined for 70 yards rushing on 22 carries. No team has ever had fewer rushing yards during a 3-0 start than Minnesota this season (153). But two of the three other teams on the list wound up in the Super Bowl that season, including last year’s champion, the Broncos. Minnesota leads the NFL with 15 sacks and is also No. 1 with a plus-eight turnover differential, thanks to nine takeaways by the defense. Overall, the unit is No. 3 in points allowed per game (13.3) and No. 6 in total yards (295.0). The Vikings have won 6 consecutive regular season games for the 1st time since 2009. Bradford is 2-1 in his career against the Giants and swept New York in 2015 when he was with Philadelphia. Bradford threw for 600 yards and three touchdowns in a pair of wins last season. The Vikings are 14-10 all-time in regular-season games against New York, with wins in five of the past seven meetings. Minnesota crushed visiting New York in Week 16 last year but the Giants didn't have star receiver Beckham Jr. due to suspension and also nothing to play for.

My Expert Pick

Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings. Giants are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Minnesota. Road team is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings. Go Minnesota in NFL betting and under the total.