The Minnesota Vikings will try to get back into the win column when they face the Los Angeles Rams in a key NFC matchup on Thursday Night Football. Minnesota suffered its first loss of the season last Sunday, falling 31-29 to the Detroit Lions, while Los Angeles snapped a two-game losing streak with a 20-15 win over Las Vegas. The Vikings (5-1), who are 3-1 against NFC opponents, are 2-0 on the road. The Rams (2-4), who are 1-4 in the conference, are 2-1 on their home field. Rams receivers Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) are both officially active.
Kickoff from SoFi Stadium at Inglewood, Calif., is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. The Vikings are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Vikings vs. Rams odds via SportsLine Consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 47.5. Before making any Rams vs. Vikings picks, be sure to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 12-5 betting hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, it is on a 193-134 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 47-27 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it at their favorite sports betting site and betting apps is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Vikings vs. Rams and just locked in its NFL picks and NFL predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for Rams vs. Vikings:
| Market | FanDuel | DraftKings | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings spread | -2.5 (-115) | -3 (-115) | -2.5 (-105) |
| Rams spread | +2.5 (-105) | +3 (-105) | +2.5 (-115) |
| Vikings money line | -144 | -155 | -145 |
| Rams money line | +122 | +130 | +120 |
| Over | Over 47.5 (-104) | Over 47.5 (-108) | Over 47.5 (-110) |
| Under | Under 47.5 (-118) | Under 47.5 (-112) | Under 47.5 (-110) |
Why you should back the Vikings
Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold powers the offense. In six starts, Darnold has completed 109 of 164 passes (66.5%) for 1,370 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions for a 104 rating. He completed 22 of 27 passes (81.5%) for 259 yards and one touchdown with one interception in Sunday’s loss to the Lions. He was 20 of 28 (71.4%) for 275 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in a 31-29 win over Green Bay on Sept. 29.
His top option in the passing game is wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He has 33 receptions for 531 yards (16.1 average) and five touchdowns. He has had nine explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a long of 97 yards. He has 170 yards after the catch and has converted 19 first downs. Jefferson caught seven passes for 81 yards (11.6 average) and one touchdown against Detroit. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back the Rams
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed 66.7% of his passes this season for 1,392 yards and three touchdowns. He has been picked off four times and has a rating of 83.6. In a 26-20 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions on Sept. 8, Stafford completed 34 of 49 passes for 317 yards (69.4%) and one touchdown with one interception. He completed 29 of 45 passes (64.4%) for 260 yards and one touchdown with one interception in a 24-19 loss to Green Bay on Oct. 6.
Running back Kyren Williams is off to a solid start to the season. In six games, he has carried 116 times for 436 yards (3.8 average) and eight touchdowns. He has a long run of 30 yards and has 34 first-down conversions. In the loss to Green Bay, he rushed 22 times for 102 yards (4.6 average) and one touchdown. He had 21 carries for 76 yards (3.6 average) and two touchdowns on Sunday against Las Vegas. See which team to pick here.
