Week 4 Monday Night Football Betting Preview

The Minnesota Vikings’ hot start and the New York Giants’ mounting injuries have affected the Monday Night Football betting matchup. The Vikings are listed as 5.5-point favorites against the Giants, after opening as a 3.5-point favorite. The total is set at 43 points. Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com Minnesota is 8-2 straight-up and against the spread in its last 10 games as a home favorite of 6.0 or fewer points. Quarterback Sam Bradford, since being airlifted to replace injured Teddy Bridgewater, has not had an interception through two starts. Bradford and primary targets such as WR Stefon Diggs, WR Adam Thielen and TE Kyle Rudolph will be facing a makeshirt Giants secondary. Janoris Jenkins is the sole healthy CB, with both Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) and Eli Apple (hamstring) hobbled. The Giants reportedly worked out offensive players at defensive back this week. The Vikings are 0-7 SU and ATS in their last seven games on Monday. Their Achilles heel so far this season – apart from K Blair Walsh’s bouts of inconsistency – is a struggle with run blocking. The Giants have a top 10 run defense, and Minnesota will have to step up their intensity to open holes for RB Jerick McKinnon. The Giants, who are coming off a defeat against the Washington Redskins, are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games after losing as a favorite. The Giants’ offensive line will have to contain a Minnesota pass rush which already has 12 sacks in three games, including eight last week against Carolina’s Cam Newton. Given adequate protection and time, Manning should be able to deliver passes to the trio of WR Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz and Sterling Shephard. Minnesota, with OLB Anthony Barr and FS Harrison Smith, has been stout against the run and pass so far this season. New York is also 8-2 SU and ATS in its last 10 games in Week 4. The Giants will likely have to turn to RB Orleans Darkwa, who began the season as the No. 3 running back, as they face Minnesota’s No. 6-ranked run defense. Rashad Jennings (thumb) is out and Shane Vereen (triceps) is out indefinitely. The total has gone over six of the last eight times the Giants have been a road underdog. The total has gone under nine of the last 11 times that the Vikings have played a team with a winning record.