The Minnesota Vikings will look to kick-start their new NFL season with victory and NFC North bragging rights when they host the Green Bay Packers at U.S Bank Stadium on Sunday night.
Injuries have been somewhat of an issue for the Packers going into the regular season and they might well be at a disadvantage against a Vikings roster with a clean bill of health.
With former Arizona Cardinal Kyler Murray making his debut at quarterback for the Vikings, the playmaker will be eager to get his Minnesota career off on the right foot against a divisional rival this weekend.
Minnesota Vikings v Green Bay Packers Tips Summary
Best Bet - Minnesota Vikings -1.5 @ 20/23
Alternative Bet - Justin Jefferson anytime touchdown scorer @ 33/20
Bet Builder - Under 53.5 total points, Kyler Murray - Over 23.5 rushing yards & Jordan Mason anytime touchdown @ 23/4
Minnesota Vikings v Green Bay Packers Prediction
Best Bet: Minnesota Vikings -1.5 @ 20/23
With a fit and healthy roster going into this opening encounter, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is in an enviable position compared to many teams in the NFL.
With a new QB in town, there’s plenty of excitement about Murray and what he can bring to the Vikings offence after a tough season in that department for J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz.
The Vikings have a decent recent record against the Packers, who go into this game with a host of injuries.
Having won three of their last four encounters with Green Bay, Minnesota are eyeing a third home win on the bounce against the Packers this weekend.
With Murray in the pocket and the injury woes for the Packers going into this one, the Vikings can make home advantage count to win and cover the spread on Sunday.
Alternative Bet: Justin Jefferson anytime touchdown scorer @ 33/20
One man who will certainly welcome the arrival of Murray at the Vikings is wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Having scored only two touchdowns last season as he struggled to link up with McCarthy, Jefferson will be determined to prove he is indeed one of the top receivers in the league this term.
With Murray a boost at quarterback, the early-season value for Jefferson in the anytime touchdown scorer market is worth considering here.
Minnesota Vikings v Green Bay Packers Bet Builder Tip
Under 53.5 total points
Kyler Murray - Over 23.5 rushing yards
Jordan Mason anytime touchdown
Pays 23/4
Going for under 53.5 total points would have landed in all of the last three meetings between these teams and the trend is backed to continue here.
Murray’s running game is well known and the QB averages 36.7 yards rushing per game in his NFL career.
He is tipped to go over the 23.5 rushing yards mark, while Vikings running back Jordan Mason is fancied to score on Sunday.
With the Packers’ defensive injuries, Mason can take advantage and build on the six rushing touchdowns he scored last season.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
The Minnesota Vikings have won three of their last four encounters with the Green Bay Packers
The Vikings have won both of their last two games against the Packers at U.S Bank Stadium
The Vikings won 16-3 the last time they faced the Packers back in January in Minnesota
Green Bay’s last win at the Vikings was back in December 2023 with a 33-10 victory at U.S Bank Stadium
Tactics, Form and Team News
The Vikings head into their opener in great shape, with no player on their 53-man roster carrying an injury designation for Sunday's clash with the Packers.
Harrison Smith and Christian Darrisaw have been managing practice workloads but are expected to feature in this encounter.
Kyler Murray makes his debut, while former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will serve as his backup, with J.J. McCarthy dropping to third string.
The Vikings have also brought in veteran OLB Kyle Van Noy and RB DeeJay Dallas from the practice squad.
As for the Packers, they have considerably more concerns with Aaron Banks, Zach Bako-Bewele and Ty'Ron Hopper all questionable, while Warren Brinson has been ruled out with a calf issue.
Green Bay will also be without Micah Parsons, while Josh Jacobs is also unavailable.
Those absences could make life particularly difficult for a Packers side facing a strong Vikings defence.
Read more NFL betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
