Week 1 of preseason football continues to chug along with this meeting between the Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders. Both teams have undergone major changes within their respective systems.
The Minnesota Vikings said au revoir to Kirk Cousins and brought in Sam Darnold to lead the offense. They also drafted Michigan standout J.J. McCarthy who is expected to compete with Darnold for the starting spot.
On the other hand, the Raiders welcomed in former interim head coach Antonio Pierce into the head coaching role. Last season, the team rallied around Pierce finishing 5-4 which was an accomplishment given their issues at the quarterback position. These quarterback issues are something that the Raiders look to find an answer to before the regular season kicks off.
Let’s get to my Raiders vs. Vikings prediction for Saturday.
Raiders vs. Vikings Prediction
Pick: Raiders First Half Moneyline (-135, FanDuel)
Raiders vs. Vikings Odds
Saturday, Aug. 10, 4 p.m. ET, NFL Network
| Raiders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| -3 -115 |
39.5 -115o / -105u |
-175 |
| Vikings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| +3 -105 |
39.5 -115o / -105u |
+150 |
Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NFL odds here.
Dylan Wilkerson Makes His Raiders vs Vikings Prediction
Raiders Expected to ‘Suit Up and Play’
Antonio Pierce has made his preseason game plan loud and clear. He wants the full roster to suit up and play. When you take a look at the Raiders’ current situation, this makes sense. They have a lot to figure out, including a quarterback competition and a stark competition for TE1.
We can expect to see a mix of Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell for the Raiders, at least. Anthony Brown Jr. or Carter Bradley may see action as well. There is also an interesting battle at the tight-end position unfolding right before us. The Raiders drafted star tight end Brock Bowers out of Georgia, and Michael Meyer.
Pierce has also stated that we can expect to see defensive players like Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins on the field against the Vikings.
Vikings Preseason Quarterback Battle Begins
The Minnesota Vikings also have a quarterback battle on their hands between veteran Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy. Kevin O’Connell has said that most healthy players on the roster will see time in this game, the question is when and for how long?
We shouldn’t expect to see stars like Justin Jefferson or Harrison Smith take the field, but the quarterback battles on both ends of the field should give the viewing public plenty to get excited about.
Antonio Pierce has made it clear that the full roster will be seeing the field this preseason. What is interesting about this particular matchup is that O’Connell is seemingly pushing the same narrative.
Raiders -3, Vikings +3 (FanDuel)
Dylan Wilkerson’s Raiders vs. Vikings First Half Moneyline Prediction
O’Connell is coming into this matchup on a 10-game preseason losing streak, while Antonio Pierce seems motivated to figure things out before the regular season and see what he has in this team.
With the implications of several positional battles, a new hungry head coach, and several key additions in the offseason, I expect the Raiders to come out hot in their preseason debut.
