Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings 2019: Prediction Against The Spread, Betting Odds For Week 1

The Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons are both looking to rebound from a poor 2018 campaign that saw them fail to meet expectations. We could learn a lot about where the two teams are headed when they face off in Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season.

The Vikings are four-point favorites at home, according to the latest betting line at OddsShark. Sunday’s game total is 48.

The odds suggest that Minnesota is a point better than Atlanta on a neutral field. The Vikings have a chance to be a top Super Bowl contender in the NFC. That starts with a statement win in the season opener.

Only a handful of teams are more well-rounded than the Vikings.

Minnesota has a returning Pro Bowl player on all three levels of the defense. The unit is consistently among the league’s best, finishing fourth in opponents' yards per play last season and ranking in the top four in total defense for three straight seasons.

Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook make up one of the NFL’s most dangerous groups of playmakers. The offensive line is on track to be better than it was in 2018 when it had trouble giving Kirk Cousins much time in the pocket.

Cousins' difficulties against good teams have been well-documented. The quarterback’s poor record against teams above .500 might not be relevant for Week 1, considering the Falcons could be on their way to another disappointing season.

Atlanta’s offense hasn’t been able to replicate what it did in the 2016 season when Matt Ryan was the NFL MVP and led the Falcons to the Super Bowl. Changes on the offensive line could mean the unit will take a step back after finishing 10th in points scored, putting even more pressure on a defense that has plenty of question marks.

The Falcons’ defense was 27th in yards per play allowed amid serious injuries to some of the team’s most important players in 2018. Atlanta’s defense was 12th in opponents’ yards per play two years ago, though the unit has ranked no better than 20th in three out of four years under head coach Dan Quinn.

The Vikings went 8-1-1 last season against teams that finished the year with fewer than 10 wins. Minnesota has an 18-2-1 record against such teams over the last two seasons.

Matt Ryan was held to 16-29 passing for 173 yards in a 14-9 loss at home against the Vikings in 2017. The quarterback was picked off twice for a 76.0 passer rating in a 20-10 defeat to Minnesota two years prior.

Atlanta has covered the spread just once in its last six games against Minnesota, per OddsShark.

The Vikings are barely favored by more than a field goal Sunday. If this matchup were happening in the second half of the season, the betting line might be close to a touchdown.

Prediction Against The Spread: Minnesota over Atlanta, 27-17