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The Los Angeles Rams will battle the Minnesota Vikings in a crucial game for the NFC playoff picture. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Rams-Vikings prediction and pick.
This is a huge game for both of these teams. The Rams are currently tied for the NFC West title with the Arizona Cardinals, so every single game holds a ton of weight. If Los Angeles keeps winning, they could potentially end up as the first seed in the conference. The Vikings, on the other hand, can only hope for a wild card appearance. Their 7-7 record is good enough for the seventh seed right now, but there's two other teams with the same 7-7 record in the conference. Every game is a must-win contest for the Vikings, so expect to see all the stops pulled out.
For more insight on the Rams-Vikings matchup in Week 16, listen below:
Here are the Rams-Vikings odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Rams-Vikings Odds
Los Angeles Rams: -3.5 (-106)
Minnesota Vikings: +3.5 (-114)
Over: 48.5 (-110)
Under: 48.5 (-110)
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Why The Rams Could Cover The Spread
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Los Angeles is a well-balanced team, but their offense is the unit that will shine in this matchup. The Vikings have been one of the worst teams in the league at stopping opposing passing games, and now they run into a Rams team that arguably has the best passing offense in the NFL. Minnesota allows 252 passing yards per game and 7.1 yards per attempt, two bottom-ten numbers in the league. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is having a fantastic season, and wide receiver Cooper Kupp has a legitimate shot to lead the NFL in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns. The Vikings will have a very difficult time slowing this offense down.
Minnesota's offense has been one of the more underrated units in the league this season, but there's reason to believe the Rams can stop them. This Los Angeles defense is filled with deadly pass-rushers. The Vikings just gave up four sacks to a decent Chicago Bears defense, and now they face one of the scariest defensive lines in the entire league. To make matters even worse for the Vikings, star running back Dalvin Cook will miss this game. Cook's absence makes everything easier for the Rams, so he'll be sorely missed in this one.
Why The Vikings Could Cover The Spread
If Minnesota covers in this game, it'll be because of their offense. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is quietly having one of the best seasons of his career, and wide receiver Justin Jefferson has quickly developed into a top-five receiver. The Vikings have managed to score 26 points or more in seven of their last nine games behind this duo, and now they face a slightly overrated Rams defense. Los Angeles allows 246 passing yards per game, a number that places them much closer to the bottom of the league than the top. This explosive Minnesota passing game should be able to keep up with the Rams' offense.
Home field advantage will certainly play a role here. The Vikings have been great on their home turf, shown by their 4-2 record at US Bank Stadium. Minnesota has also scored more than 30 points in three of their home games. The offense has been absolutely deadly at home, and that should continue here despite the absence of Dalvin Cook.
Final Rams-Vikings Prediction & Pick
This game will be extremely close. The Vikings are experts at playing in one-score contests, and they have more than enough talent to hang with the Rams. Neither side looks particularly encouraging, so the over is the best pick here. Both teams have plenty of offensive firepower, and the weather won't be a factor.
Final Rams-Vikings Pick: Over: 48.5 (-110)
