With the NFL choosing not to play a game on Thursday Christmas Eve, it moved the prime-time showcase late Friday afternoon and sent Minnesota to New Orleans.
The game doesn’t have the same big title potential with the Saints (10-4) unlikely to get the only NFC playoff bye, which Green Bay currently has, and the Vikings (6-8) not. go nowhere. Yet, it offers remarkable visual appeal.
Dalvin Cook of Minnesota and Alvin Kamara of New Orleans had two of the most productive seasons of any running back. Rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been outstanding for the Vikings as a replacement for traded Stefon Diggs.
The Saints have been staunch defense for much of the year, and they have quarterback Drew Brees back and probably not rusty like he was when he came back last week against the Chiefs.
You want to play your best football before the playoffs, Brees says, noting that the Saints have yet to clinch NFC South ahead of Tampa Bay (9-5) and can do so with a win. The most important factor right now is for us to win and win the division, right? And then kind of just keep building and rising, before the playoffs.
The Minnesota No.18 is a 7-point underdog to the No.4 New Orleans. Merry Christmas, saints.
SAINTS, 27-16 years old
KNOCKOUT POOL: The Titans sank us with their loss after Detroit. Reaching the end of available teams worth taking, but Pro Picks kept a good one: NEW ORLEANS.
Buffalo # 2 (minus 5) at # 19 New England, Monday night
The Bills’ luck to erase yet some of that recent, ugly history against the Patriots.
BEST BET: BILLS, 28-19
No.22 (tie) Philadelphia (minus 1 1-2) at No.24 Dallas
Both teams will be eliminated in NFC East if Washington wins.
CHANGE SPECIAL: COWBOYS, 27-24
# 27 Carolina (plus 2 1-2) at # 16 Washington
How kind of Ron Rivera, clinching the division against the team that fired him.
WASHINGTON, 17-16 ans
No.7 Indianapolis (minus 2 1-2) at No.10 Pittsburgh
The sky is falling in Steel City.
COLTS, 19-17
No 12 Los Angeles Rams (plus 1 1-2) au No 6 Seattle
What was that last Rams Sunday? They will appear this time.
RAMS, 20-17
# 5 Tennessee (plus 3 1-2) to # 3 Green Bay
Lambeau in January? The Packers dream of staying home for the playoffs.
PACKAGERS, 26-24
No.21 New York Giants (plus 11) at No.9 Baltimore
Suddenly the Ravens are rolling and looking dangerous for January.
RAVENS, 30-16
No.25 San Francisco (plus 5) at No.14 Arizona, Saturday
The Cardinals are getting closer to the playoffs.
CARDINALS, 27-20
No 13 Miami (minus 3) at No 17 Las Vegas, Saturday
The Dolphins too, maybe a year ahead of expectations.
DOLPHINS, 28-22
No 11 Tampa Bay (minus 9 1-2) at No 26 Detroit, Saturday
The Lions can score just enough to stay this close without winning.
BUCCANEERS, 27-20
N ° 29 Atlanta (plus 12) au n ° 1 Kansas City
The Falcons can score just enough to stay this close without winning.
CHEFS, 33-23
No.8 Cleveland (minus 9 1-2) at No.31 New York Jets
Sorry, JETS, we’re just not buying another shocking win.
BROWN, 31-10
No.30 Cincinnati (plus 8) to No.28 Houston
It seems like a lot of points for such a weak team, even against another finisher.
TEXANS, 22-16 ans
No 15 Chicago (moins 7 1-2) au No 32 Jacksonville
Now that Trevor Lawrence can go looking for a house in Jacksonville…
OURS, 22-13
No.22 (tie) Denver (plus 3) at No.20 Los Angeles Chargers
The QB choices alone, Justin Herbert and Drew Lock, push us to…
CHARGERS, 33-18
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RECORD 2020
Last week: straight ahead: 11-5. Against spread: 6-8-2
Season: Straight: 147-75-1. Against spread: 109-98-7
Best bet: straight ahead: 11-4. Against Spread: 7-8
Upset special: Straight ahead: 6-9. Against spread: 6-7-2
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