US online sportsbooks are in high spirits as the 2017 online NFL betting season is officially under way. This past weekend we were treated to quite a few surprises, like the Browns hanging in there with the Steelers, the Jaguars upsetting the Texans in Houston, or even the reigning Super Bowl champions getting upset by Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs on opening day.
But putting these bombshells aside, we still haven’t kicked off Monday night football. No offshore sportsbook players get that pleasure this evening, when the Minnesota Vikings host Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.
New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings – Monday, September 11th
Venue: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Start Time: 7:10 pm ET
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Online Stream Options: Watch ESPN, NFL Game Pass
This contest will be an important match for both teams. In the NFC North, the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have both jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the division. If Minnesota is looking to compete for a division title, they’ll need a win against the Saints this evening lest risk falling behind in NFC North standings.
The same is true for New Orleans. The Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons each won their matchups on Sunday, and if the Saints lose tonight they’ll be on a slippery slope right out of the gate. Let’s take a look at what kind of chances top sportsbooks are giving the Saints in this Monday night football contest.
US Online Sportsbook Odds:
New Orleans Saints +3 (-105) 48 (-110) +143
Minnesota Vikings -3 (-115) 48 (-110) -164
It’s not all that surprising to see the Vikings coming into this game as the US online sportsbook favorite. Early last season, Minnesota was actually leading the NFC North – the division that houses Aaron Rodgers. So the Vikings could very well enjoy success early in the season once again, especially against one of the worst passing defenses we saw last season.
However, it’s never a good idea to rule out a passer as accurate and as dangerous as Drew Brees. If the Vikings pass rush is unable to phase Brees, the veteran passer could very well finish the night with over 400 yards and more than a handful of touchdowns. It’s not a question of whether or not Brees will find success this evening. Rather, the question is how well will the Vikings pass defense be able to get in his way. That, and how big of a hole will the Saints defense put him in?
Top Sportsbook Bets to Make: Early season matchups can be tough to predict and this is a prime example, predicting how well the Vikings will play especially. This is Minnesota’s first game of the season, so it stands to reason that they’ll be coming with high amounts of energy, ergo it wouldn’t be that bad of an idea to pick them on the spread. That said, money line bets might want to be placed on the Saints. After all, there’s really no comparison between Drew Brees and Sam Bradford.
