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Vikings Creating Separation in NFC North: Are Their Odds Now Super Bowl Worthy?

Eric Rosales

by Eric Rosales in NFL Football

Updated Jan 6, 2023 · 6:37 AM PST

Adam Thielen
Adam Thielen and the Vikings are rising up the NFC North standings. Photo by Keith Allison (flickr)
  • Vikings separating from NFC North Pack
  • With current odds, is Minnesota a good Super Bowl bet?
  • Who is the best bet to win the Super Bowl?

The Minnesota Vikings have apparently started to steer the ship in the right direction, and Vegas is taking notice.

Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl 53 Odds

Team 2018 Record Odds
Los Angeles Rams 7-0 +280
New England Patriots 5-2 +550
Kansas City Chiefs 6-1 +600
New Orleans Saints 5-1 +800
Minnesota Vikings 4-2-1 +1200

Week 7 was another good one for the Vikings. They crushed the lowly Jets while  the Chicago Bears lost to the Patriots and the Green Bay Packers watched the hill get a little steeper on their bye week.

Sitting pretty at 4-2-1, you can see that the Viking’s Super Bowl hopes are shaping up.

Is Minnesota a Good Super Bowl Bet?

It’s hard to believe that arguably the most complete team in the NFL has the fifth best odds to take home the title at +1200.

Ever since taking that beating at the hands of the Bills and then getting blown up the following week by the Rams, the defense is awake and alive, particularly in the clutch. In the last three weeks, the Vikings have allowed just four third down conversions in 32 attempts.

They’ve also forced eight turnovers and allowed just five TDs over the course of their current three game win streak. That’s getting it done.

Combine that with the emergence of the Adam Thielen and his historic season at wide receiver, and the steady play of free agent prize Kirk Cousins, and this team should be able to compete with any team that it’s lined up against.

Don’t let their middle-of-the-pack 16th rank in offensive DVOA fool you, this team is scoring at a 25 points per game clip, and they’re just hitting their stride.

NFC North Picture Still Unclear

That being said, there’s no way that they’re clear of their division foes. In fact, they may be the ones that can really throw a wrench in the picture – and business is just starting to pick up.

Minnesota has just a tie to show in division play, against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Much will depend on how Green Bay fares in the next couple of weeks, as they take on a pair of heavyweights in the Rams and the Patriots. Can Rodgers summon up his super powers again to keep a less talented Pack team in contention?

Meanwhile, don’t sleep on the Lions. Detroit Rock City may have found themselves a keeper at running back (finally!) in Kerryon Johnson, while LeGarrette Blount is looking like the battering ram they’ve needed in short yardage situations.

With that offensive balance, it makes the receiving corps of Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and young stud Kenny Golladay that much more lethal. Matthew Stafford may never get a better shot at the Vikings than now. Those two games should be appointment viewing.

Who’s the Best Super Bowl 53 Bet?

The best value bet of the bunch has to be the Vikings and it’s a great return if they can sustain this play all the way to a Super Bowl crown.

But if you’re looking for the best bet to take home the hardware in Atlanta? There are two that stand out to me.

Only a major injury is holding back the Rams (+280) from possibly running the regular season table. Their offense is violently potent, and their defense showed just how it can wreak havoc against the 49ers.

And of course, the Patriots (+550) are like the Michael Myers of NFL contention: everyone knew going in what was going to happen in this movie but here we are, surprised that it’s happening. They’ve already gotten their ‘what’s wrong with the Patriots?’ schedule out of the way. Their stability in consistently good play has me picking them over the Andy Reid Chiefs to come out of the AFC.

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