Having delivered profitable previews when the NFL visited London last season, Ross Williams provides his verdict for Sunday's clash between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.
The NFL returns to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday as the Minnesota Vikings take on a hurting New Orleans Saints outfit, who will have a new look to them after a disastrous week on the injury front.
Even if both sides were fully fit, I’d expect Minnesota to be the favourite in this match-up, so a measly spread of just three points is a little surprising.
Saints' star receiver Michael Thomas is out of the contest and Jarvis Landry, who has looked good since returning to Louisiana, has a ‘questionable’ designation that hints at him also not being a factor in Sunday’s festivities.
That leaves rookie Chris Olave with a massive job on his hands, carrying the brunt of the Saints’ aerial threat, and that would be hard enough without a forced change at quarterback.
Kick-off time: 1430 BST, Sunday
TV channel: Sky Sports NFL
Jameis Winston is also likely to miss Sunday’s game, throwing New Orleans’ plans for a smooth trip over the Atlantic up in the air. Veteran Andy Dalton will take his place and, as far as back-up QBs go, he’s of a decent calibre, but it’s far from ideal preparation.
Minnesota, on the other hand, are mostly healthy following their 28-24 victory over the Detroit Lions at the weekend and will see this game as an opportunity.
The Vikings will be confident of securing their second win on the bounce and, with Dalvin Cook back firing, it’s easy to see why. The Saints defence has been very solid against the pass so far, but they’re leaky up the middle of the field and the one-two punch of Cook and Alexander Mattison could cause all kinds of issues on Sunday.
Expect the Vikings to put the pressure on early with the ground game and, when that tactic is inevitably successful, the Saints will be forced to be more aggressive. It’s understandable and may prove to be a necessity, but that will undoubtedly open up the passing routes for the likes of Justin Jefferson and when that young receiver gets hot, there’s simply no stopping him.
Vikings @ Saints in London best bet
- Minnesota Vikings (-3) to beat New Orleans Saints at 10/11 (General)
Odds correct at 2130 BST (30/09/22)
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