NFL Week 1 : Minnesota vs San Diego

Question

This is an inter conference game. Minnesota has a new head coach in Leslie Frazier, who was promoted from "interim" head coach to "full time" head coach and replaces Brad Childress. Minnesota also has a new starting Q-back in Donavan McNabb who should provide more offense than last year's Viking Q-backs. San Diego returns Norv Turner as head coach and Philip Rivers as starting Q-back.

Minnesota should be an improved team just with the change in Q-backs but I don't think it will be enough to offset a San Diego team that was awfully good at home last year. The Chargers won 75% of their home games "straight up" and "against the spread", while the Vikings won only 25% of their away games while covering only 37.5% of the time.

The current line on the game is San Diego -8 1/2. Spot the points. The Chargers will cover!

BigEasySL · Answer

This is an inter conference game. Minnesota has a new head coach in Leslie Frazier, who was promoted from "interim" head coach to "full time" head coach and replaces Brad Childress. Minnesota also has a new starting Q-back in Donavan McNabb who should provide more offense than last year's Viking Q-backs. San Diego returns Norv Turner as head coach and Philip Rivers as starting Q-back.

Minnesota should be an improved team just with the change in Q-backs but I don't think it will be enough to offset a San Diego team that was awfully good at home last year. The Chargers won 75% of their home games "straight up" and "against the spread", while the Vikings won only 25% of their away games while covering only 37.5% of the time.

The current line on the game is San Diego -8 1/2. Spot the points. The Chargers will cover!

wallstreetcappers · Answer

I like the other side, giving 8.5 pts to a good defense and an experienced QB?I hope they run it higher, that would make it even better.

HutchEmAll · Answer

MN is going to have their hands full with Rivers, but I also think they will try and slow this game down quite a with AP and the TE's. And that's a lot of points if they are able to slow the game down. Kyle Rudolph is going to be a stud in the NFL eventually.

TacoBellaire · Answer

min &#x2B;9 1/2 is a no brainer

jbkizzle · Answer

I don&#x27;t know how to play this game. I think MINN is one of the worst teams this year (e.g. depleted O and D line, horrible QB, worse assets at WR, etc.). But, I can&#x27;t trust SD to do anything successfully.

SharpCheddar · Answer

Exactly

TacoBellaire · Answer

I wouldn&#x27;t call Mcnabb horrible, hes looked ATLEAST decent this preseason, I don&#x27;t think its unreasonable to expect a bounce back season from him...Just like Randall Cunningham and Brett Favre...lol

mtbaker · Answer

&#xD;&#xA;SD or nothing- SD is much better team returning same nucleus of players- 9 pt ATS in SD is like 6 pts somewhere else cause they are such a good team and will be motivated to start the year right after last season&#x27;s debacle&#xD;&#xA;Vikings haven&#x27;t played much with each other but they will play hard for their coach and SD has a new defensive coordinator and ST coordinator I believe so tough game but SD or nothing IMO

doliver517 · Answer

How has San Diego fared at the start of EVERY season???? &#x2B;8.5 is a gift...why you would play San Diego is beyond me with their track record of blowing EVERY game at the start of the yr just to have to try and sneak in the playoffs is beyond me....what do you think the line is telling you???? Either Minny or pass

SquarePlay · Answer

I was planning on playing SD here, but watched the replay of their week 3 game on NFL network and the starters looked really sluggish on both side of the ball against Arizona and they trailed by 7 at the half. I know SD plays better at home, but Min is better than Arizona and this is a lot of points to be laying. I'd really like to see this number reduced to -7, would make it a lot more playable.

McNaab has played slightly better than average this preseason, so there's no need to knock him though.

mtbaker · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by doliver517] &#xD;&#xA;How has San Diego fared at the start of EVERY season???? &#x2B;8.5 is a gift...why you would play San Diego is beyond me with their track record of blowing EVERY game at the start of the yr just to have to try and sneak in the playoffs is beyond me[/Quote]&#xD;&#xA;YA BUT THE CHARGERS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS LAST YEAR their early season struggles finally BIT THEM IN THE ASS so they will be far more focused this year and if they can stop A Pete and that&#x27;s possible with that pathetic Minny O-Lline this game will be a cake walk as Ray Edwards and Williams are no longer their to help Allen pressure Phillip Rivers

mtbaker · Answer

just to be clear I have not bet the Chargers hell I haven&#x27;t even looked into this game that much but &#x2B;8.5 is not even close to being a gift

rjrat84 · Answer

Agreed mtbaker:Also rivers should slice &amp; dice minnesotas secondary which outside of antoine winfield is god awful,cedric griffins coming off 2 acl surgerys last 2 seasons and the rest of are scrubs

doliver517 · Answer

This game shouldn&#x27;t be on anyones radar....why would this be the game to play in week one, unless it was a loser for Chargers backers???? Instead of thinking how it&#x27;s unbeatable, think about how easily it&#x27;s a loser...&#xD;&#xA;just sayin....we&#x27;ll talk after week one, when San Diego wins by 4

Aalon · Answer

&#xD;&#xA; &#xD;&#xA;Donovan McNabb is a "horrible" QB?  That pretty much invalidates anything else you have to say.  Bear in mind I&#x27;m not even a Vikings fan.

jdawgqn86 · Answer

Vikes getting 8.5 points is unbelievable. They are going to control the pace with the running game and McNabb will be efficient at the very least as he is being asked to do almost nothing other than some dump offs and safe tosses. Next to AP, Harvin is the most dangerous weapon on either team and can turn the game in one play.

I heard the Chargers think the first few weeks of the regular season are still training camp. Anything short of Rivers throwing for 350+ on the Vikes' secondary will lead to an easy Minnesota cover.

jbkizzle · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by Aalon]  &#xD;&#xA; &#xD;&#xA;Donovan McNabb is a "horrible" QB?  That pretty much invalidates anything else you have to say.  Bear in mind I&#x27;m not even a Vikings fan.  [/Quote]Did you not see him play last year? He was awful. Did you watch him play this preseason? His best play was a TD pass that should have been intercepted by two inept CBs. I think he&#x27;s a downgrade to Favre, especially considering their O-line is much worse this year. He&#x27;s way past his prime. His name is much better than the player behind the name. Plus, who does he have to throw too? There are going to be a lot of short passes to Shiancoe, and that&#x27;s about it.I refuse to trust McNabb to do anything right, especially in a shortened preseason. But, BOL if you take them. This game is a must-avoid for me.

jbkizzle · Answer

The final score should be something like 30-10 for SD. But, the key word is SHOULD! SD found way too many ways to keep things close and screw things up early in the season last year. I'd rather watch Week 1 to see if they are legit, then waste money on them.

MDAAKD · Answer

Giving up close to 10 points in week one in ANY matchup is ridiculous.  The Chargers are notorious for starting slow, but they do have a lot of fire power on the offensive side of the ball.  Getting after Rivers is an absolute must if the Vikings have any shot here.  The Vikings will run a lot of 2 and 3 TE sets and basically make the Chargers put 8 to 9 in the box.  How well and when play action is run will dictate how successfull McNabb will be.

mpp30 · Answer

vikings are rebuilding, dont let the pickup of mcnabb fool you. the only reason they signed mcnabb was because ponder did not progress fast enough due to the lockout. did any team with a glaring need for a QB offer mcnabb anything??(titans, dolphins, niners) vikings o line was already shit and got worse when they lost mckinnie due to them trying to save cap space and covering their ass by saying he was 400 lbs and a health risk,,, i heard mckinnie has already lost 20 lbs and looks great at ravens practice, nice move vikes.

yes, chargers traditionally stumble out of the gate but they were lights out at home last year vs subpar teams like this. and as far as the vikes countering by running the ball? look at the outcomes last season when the chargers hosted the jags and kc, 2 of the top running offenses in the nfl....chargers blew both of them out. rivers will torch that secondary. the vikes have no more pass rush left on that d line. its pretty easy to double team jared allen when there is no longer ray edwards to worry about on the other side. teams eventually break trends so dont let past outcomes of early charger games over the past few seasons dictate your decision, look at the matchup. SD -8 1/2 !!!

MDAAKD · Answer

mpp - You are completely wrong regarding McNabb. The reason why they picked him up was to bridge Ponder into the starting role. He fits the Musgrave offense. Tennessee did the same exact thing with acquiring Hasselbeck. It wasn't because of Ponder's progress, it was because he wouldn't give the Vikings the best chance to win, period. As for Mckinnie, he had a VERY subpar season last year. He concentrates more on other things rather than his job. Insert foot in mouth there as well.

And, let me tell ya, since Ray Edwards is gone now teams can double Jared.. hahaha. Like Ray Edwards was Chris Doleman reincarnate?

mpp30 · Answer

[Quote: Originally Posted by MDAAKD] &#xD;&#xA;mpp - You are completely wrong regarding McNabb.  The reason why they picked him up was to bridge Ponder into the starting role.  He fits the Musgrave offense.  Tennessee did the same exact thing with acquiring Hasselbeck.  It wasn&#x27;t because of Ponder&#x27;s progress, it was because he wouldn&#x27;t give the Vikings the best chance to win, period.  As for Mckinnie, he had a VERY subpar season last year.  He concentrates more on other things rather than his job.  Insert foot in mouth there as well.&#xD;&#xA;And, let me tell ya, since Ray Edwards is gone now teams can double Jared.. hahaha.  Like Ray Edwards was Chris Doleman reincarnate?  &#xD;&#xA; [/Quote]&#xD;&#xA;mckinnie allows 9 sacks, 9 hits, and 15 QB pressures in &#x27;09 and and goes to the pro bowl, along with being one of the top rated left tackles in nfl.  he allows 6 sacks, 9 hits, and 19 QB pressures in 2010 but has a "VERY subpar" year?  wake up&#xD;&#xA;ya, i guess teams cant double team allen when a threatening d end like robison is rushing the QB, hahaha   again WAKE UP

Europa · Answer

Chargers have covered 4 out 5 home games last season where the spread was -9 or larger.

bobafett · Answer

sd -8.5....wit ya

mpp30 · Answer

SD -8 1/2 just got better today with D tackle kevin williams suspended first 2 games of regular season.  just liked arnold said, "GO CHARGAS GO!"

NFL Week 1 : Minnesota vs San Diego

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