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The 5-6 Minnesota Vikings will host the 1-10 Jacksonville Jaguars at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 13 of the 2020 season. This is set up to be a one-sided affair since the Vikings are fighting for a playoff spot, while the Jaguars are on a 10-game losing streak.
Minnesota defeated the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 by a final score of 28-27. Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Chad Beebe with 46 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Jacksonville, meanwhile, fell to the Cleveland Browns at home in Week 12. The team hasn't won a game since opening day versus the Indianapolis Colts. This franchise has regressed mightily since getting to the AFC Championship Game during the 2017 season.
With the Vikings and Jaguars set to kick off soon, let's take a look at four bold predictions for the contest from a Minnesota point of view.
1. Kirk Cousins throws 3 TDs, 1 INT
Kirk Cousins has really turned his season around for the Vikings after throwing three interceptions against the Atlanta Falcons back in Week 6. He has 23 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. The two-time Pro Bowler has racked up 2,768 passing yards and is completing 68.1 percent of his passes.
Against the Jaguars, who are giving up 29.5 points per game on the season, we have Cousins throwing three touchdowns and one interception. The Vikings' gunslinger has faced Jacksonville once in his career. It was back in 2014 when Cousins was still in Washington. He threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns and didn't turn the ball over.
Since that brutal Falcons game where he threw three interceptions, Cousins has only one interception over his last five games against the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Panthers. While we have Cousins getting picked off once against the Jaguars, the 32-year-old will make up for it with three touchdown passes and a high completion percentage.
2. Justin Jefferson eclipses 100 yards, catches 1 TD
Vikings rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson is having a stellar campaign. He has 52 receptions through 11 games for 918 yards and six touchdowns. The 21-year-old has racked up over 100 receiving yards four times this season for Minnesota.
Against a putrid Jaguars' defense, we have Jefferson going over the 100-yard mark for the fifth time in 2020. Look for the explosive playmaker to also catch his seventh touchdown from Cousins, who has targeted Jefferson 72 times on the season.
The Vikings are so thankful that 21 teams passed on Jefferson in the 2020 draft. It appears the neophyte is going to have a superstar career in Minnesota as long as he stays healthy.
If you have Jefferson on your fantasy team, you have certainly been having a blast watching him torch secondaries left and right this season. Look for that trend to continue in Week 13 versus the lowly Jaguars.
3. Vikings pick off Mike Glennon twice
The Jaguars will start Mike Glennon again in Week 13. He made his first start of the season in Week 12 against the Browns. The 30-year-old went 20-of-35 for 235 yards through the air with two touchdown passes.
Even though the Vikings are allowing 27.7 points per game on the season—27th in the league—we have Glennon throwing two interceptions against Minnesota in Week 13. The Vikings' defense has forced a turnover in 10 straight games. While the team only has three interceptions on the season, Glennon is a below-average quarterback and will surely make a few mistakes in Week 13.
As a starter in the NFL, Glennon is only 6-17. The Vikings' defense should have their way against the veteran signal-caller at home, especially since the Jaguars are a walking disaster right now under head coach Doug Marrone.
4. Vikings defeat Jaguars, improve to 6-6
We have the Vikings easily defeating the Jaguars in Week 13 and improving to 6-6 on the season. Minnesota is currently the eighth seed in the NFC standings, one spot behind the Arizona Cardinals (6-5) for the final playoff spot in the conference.
Moving forward, the Vikings can't lose games they are favored to win and the Jaguars contest fits that bill. Minnesota already suffered one bad loss this season against the hapless Cowboys. If Mike Zimmer's group wants to make a late postseason push, the team can't afford to lose to the Jaguars.
Anything can happen in the NFL, but we would be shocked if the Vikings don't take care of business against the Jaguars. Minnesota has the better head coach, quarterback, running game, wide receiver core and defense.
Under no circumstances should the Vikings lose this game, even if they do come out sluggish in the first quarter like we have seen them do so many times this season.
