Vikings favored in odds to win NFC North
Minnesota and Green Bay battled for the NFC North crown in 2019 and oddsmakers believe it will be more of the same in 2020.
Both the Vikings and Packers advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs last season, with the Packers earning a spot in the NFC Championship game. But did the front-runners do enough in free agency and the draft to stay ahead of the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears?
I think this division will drop off this season, as all four teams made questionable off-season decisions. There could be some good betting value on NFC North betting futures.
Minnesota Vikings (+160)
Minnesota’s effort to improve on their impressive 2019 season will have to happen without their 2019 Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski. He moved on to the merry-go-round known as the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job.
Kirk Cousins will be minus his main deep threat from last year in Stefon Diggs was traded to the Buffalo Bills. The Vikings took wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the first round to play across from WR Adam Theilen, who aims to rebound after regressing from his breakout 2018 season. Dalvin Cook is back at practice after sitting out and hoping to come to terms on a new contract extension. They will be relying on him to pick up where he left off last season.
On the defensive side of the ball, Mike Zimmer will lead a defense that will look very different than it did last season. Veterans like Everson Griffin, Trae Waynes and Linval Joseph all moved on in free agency. The Vikings still have five-time Pro Bowler Harrison Smith at safety with a scary front seven. This defense should not skip a beat. The Vikings offense is a cause for concern. I believe the loss of Diggs has been an under-reported subject this off-season.