NFL betting trends, odds and predictions for Friday, August 18th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
Friday’s NFL Preseason Week 2 Primer
Covers.com
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks (-3, 40.5)
About the Vikings
The Vikings improved to 13-1 straight up and 12-2 against the spread in the preseason under head coach Mike Zimmer after last week’s 17-10 win over the Buffalo Bills.
“At the end of the day, does it matter? No,” Zimmer told Minnesota reporters after being asked about his record in exhibition games. “But I think the competitive nature of your team, especially if you’ve got a young team getting used to winning — that’s good. I know the record. We don’t really go out of our way to win, but I like to win, yeah.”
Zimmer expressed concern about seeing a lot of NFL starters pick up injuries – some season-ending – in the first week of the preseason. The Vikes head coach would also like to see something more production from his first teamers last week.
Sam Bradford and Company picked up just one first down in three series. Expect the starters to play at least for the full first quarter for the Vikings.
Case Keenum and Taylor Heinicke are battling for right to be Bradford’s backup. Keenum is No. 2 on the depth chart as it stands and he had a strong showing last week against the Buffalo Bills.
About the Seahawks
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is not talking about playing time for his starters against the Vikings. Carroll kept Russell Wilson and the rest of the first teamers out for the entire first half against these same Vikings in Week 2 of the preseason last year.
Carroll used the same strategy in Week 2 of the 2015 and 2014 preseasons as well.
Seattle put up 48 points on the scoreboard against the San Diego Chargers, by far the most points scored in Week 1 of the preseason. Backup quarterbacks Trevone Boykins and Austin Davis had a lot to do with all those points.
Boykins is fighting for his job as the team’s backup QB because of some problems off the field and because of the play of veteran Austin Davis. The two should split snaps again in the second half against Minnesota.
Players to watch for fantasy football fanatics
Thomas Rawls, RB Seahawks
Eddie Lacy was signed in the offseason but news out of Seattle’s camp is that the No. 1 RB job is Rawls’ to lose.
Dalvin Cook, RB Vikings
The rookie out of Florida State’s average fantasy draft position is in the late third round but he could way outperform that ranking. Anyone who saw him play in college knows he’s got moves and should be a real weapon in the passing game – particularly in an offense led by "captain check down".
Line moves
The spread is holding to its opening number at Seattle -3 while the Over/Under line has dropped half a point to 40.