Only 12% of NFL “Experts” pick Vikings over Buccaneers? What the who what what?
Joe Johnson
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So you’re telling me there’s a chance.
As I just wrote on our sister-site, VikingsTerritory.com, many (including me) are saying that Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has HUGE implications for each team on multiple levels.
For example, as pointed out by Kyle Ratke of VikingsWire.com:
“A win for the Vikings would boost their playoff percentage from 40% to 71%. A loss would lower it to 23%.”
What are people saying about the Vikings’ chances to do just that? Welp, according to sportsbettingdime.com, the Vikings will visit Tampa as 6.5-point underdogs. I’m not sure if those that set the lines are still spotting the home team 3 points, but either way you’d think that the Tampa being favored over the Vikings by one score would mean that many in the national media would pick the Vikings.
After all, the Vikings have won five of their last six, where as the Bucs have lost three straight. Then again, the Bucs are coming off of the bye and the Vikings are losing players on their defense that band the ‘Ain’t Rights’ in ‘Green Room’ (at this point it wouldn’t surprise me if Harrison Smith’s season ended like this (Warning NSFW/Gore).
https://youtu.be/K1x-iNZliAo?t=36
Like ‘Green Room’, the Vikings are fighting their way out of a hole against all odds, and things ain’t been right this season. But they’ve put together one of the more elite offenses in the league, with a defense that seems to be improving tremendously (according to PFF). So, what do the experts around the league think about Minnesota v. Tampa?
According to NFLPickWatch.com, the Vikings have just a 12% chance of beating the Buccaneers. Or rather, only 12% of their tracked experts have picked the Vikings over the Bucs (which is different mathematically than having a 12% chance). That means in a 50:50 situation, ~ 9 of 10 of those answering a question with 50:50 odds (in terms of the choice itself being one or the other).
This is a bit perplexing. I mean, the Vikings have struggled against some bad teams the last couple weeks but they won. Tampa has lost three of their last four, but they’ve played a lot of teams that are good (in terms of their records and playoff positions).
But, damn.
Let’s hope that those experts’ predictions don’t come true. The good news is that I am also considered an expert by people (like my Dad), and I’m giving the Vikings pretty good odds to win this one.
It’s really going to come down to the Vikings limiting the mistakes and by virtue of that, winning the turnover battle. Considering the following; that may be a tall order.
Ruh roh.
The Vikings have improved markedly in terms of the amount of turnovers they’ve amassed each week. The Vikings are still in the negative (-4) in that regard on the season, and with the three defensive scores that the Panthers and Jaguars had the last two weeks, they REALLY need to clean that up.
It feels like that may be a bridge too far considering that it’s mid-December. But, I truly believe that this Vikings team can really give any team a run for their money any given Sunday if they limit those mistakes which means to me their chances of winning are better than 12%.
Then again, as Kyle Ratke’s article shows, 11% of experts picked the Vikings yesterday. So, that’s an improvement! Eh!