The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams collide on Monday Night Football for the final spot in the divisional round.
The pregame narrative: The tragic L.A. wildfires have changed the location of this game from Los Angeles to Arizona. Still, I’m betting on the Rams to win on a neutral field. I expect there to be plenty of points in a game where Matthew Stafford is slinging the ball all over the field.
Check out my Vikings vs. Rams same-game parlay predictions.
Vikings vs. Rams same-game parlay predictions
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Parlay: Rams moneyline + Over 41.5 points + Stafford over 240.5 passing yards (+350)
Rams moneyline (+118): The NFC North was a pretty sheltered division this season.
A quick look at Minnesota’s schedule will tell you just that. Outside of the teams in its division, the Vikings played two teams that qualified for the playoffs.
Those two opponents were the Rams and the Houston Texans. They beat the latter, 34-7, but lost to the former, 30-20.
The Rams played five games against playoff competitors despite none of the other NFC West squads qualifying for the postseason. They went 2-3 in those contests, winning two of their last three.
Los Angeles dealt with injuries this year, but the team boasts some great records when key players are healthy:
- 8-4 with Cooper Kupp
- 8-3 with Puka Nacua
- 10-6 with Stafford
All three are healthy and I’ll happily pick L.A. to beat a team it already has this season.
Other parlay picks
Over 41.5 points (-250): The Vikings’ defence isn’t as dominant as it was earlier in the season.
Minnesota is allowing opposing offences to rack up the points. It’s allowed 24-plus points in three consecutive games, including 31 to the Detroit Lions in a crucial Week 18 outing.
Los Angeles’ defence isn’t a steel curtain by any stretch. It’s 17th in points against per game (22.7).
Both offences should be able to deliver in this spot:
- Vikings are 9th in scoring (25.4 PPG)
- Rams are 6-3 to the over as underdogs
These teams combined for 50 points in their first meeting.
Stafford over 240.5 passing yards (-115): Minnesota’s defence blitzes more than any other team in the league (38.9%).
The good news is Stafford handles the blitz as well as anyone and excelled against it versus the Vikings in Week 8.
Minnesota generated zero pressures or sacks while Stafford went 9-for-12 with 131 passing yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Stafford finished the game with 279 passing yards and four touchdowns. He completed 73.5% of his passes, which was his third-highest mark of the campaign.
The L.A. quarterback has consistently delivered against this line in the playoffs. He has topped this total in four consecutive contests.
Picks made at 2:50 p.m. ET on 01/12/2025.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.