Is Joshua Dobbs Truly The Answer In Minnesota?
The Saints vs Vikings Odds Are No Surprise Heading Into Week 10
The Minnesota Vikings have won four straight games dating back to mid-October. But it hasn’t been as easy as it sounds.
The Vikings are waiting for the return of a star receiver, lost their starting quarterback, and began the NFL season losing four of their first five games.
Last week’s game was where it all kicked in. The Vikings watched their rookie quarterback, Jaren Hall, go down with a concussion, leaving newly acquired Joshua Dobbs to come in without knowing much of the playbook or any of his teammates.
Dobbs astonishingly threw 158 yards and rushed for 66 yards while earning a total of three touchdowns. One was a game-winner, pushing the Vikings over .500 for the first time this season.
Dobbs will get the start for the Vikings this weekend and should be more prepared in their game against the Saints. However, the Saints are also 5-4 and have one of the better defenses in the NFL.
Therefore, the Saints are -2.5 (-115) against the Vikings on Sunday, with the total currently at 41.
Can Dobbs work his magic for the second straight week?
Let’s review the Saints vs Vikings odds for Sunday’s exciting NFC game.
New Orleans Saints vs Minnesota Vikings 
Day/Time:
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Streaming: FOX
Saints vs Vikings Odds
The New Orleans Saints are currently 5-4 on the season. But they’re just 2-6-1 against the spread this season. Oddsmakers have overvalued the Saints. Meanwhile, the total has hit the Under in seven of nine NFL games this year, including their last game against the Bears, which finished Under 42.5.
On the other hand, the Vikings have won four straight games while covering the spread in all four games. Minnesota is now 5-3-1 against the spread this season, with three of their last four games on the road.
The last time the Vikings were home, they earned a massive upset against the 49ers, 22-17, as 6.5-point underdogs.
Minnesota has also hit the Under in seven of nine games this season.
The Vikings and Saints last played on October 2, 2022. In that game, the Vikings won, 28-25, but the Saints covered as four-point underdogs.
Paulson Adebo Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week
The Saints earned a 24-17 win over the Chicago Bears last weekend. In that game, Paulson Adebo added two interceptions and a forced fumble in the win. Adobo added seven total tackles and broke up three passes, finishing with a 92.9 overall grade via PFF.
This was the first time Adebo had ever won this award. He’s become the fifth pro football player since 200 to have two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He’s also the first cornerback to do this since Charles Woodson in 2009.
Vikings Open Justin Jefferson’s Practice Window
The Vikings have been playing without one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
Jefferson has been on the NFL injury report since mid-October and has only played five games this season. Despite only playing five games, Jefferson still leads the team in receiving yards with 571.
T.J. Hockenson, who played in four more games, has nearly double the receptions but only 547 receiving yards.
Jefferson is unlikely to play this week. But with his practice window opening up, he’s expected to ramp things back up and potentially play in the following week.
Can We Really Trust Joshua Dobbs?
Joshua Dobba had a sensational debut for the Minnesota Vikings last weekend. He came in for the injured rookie, Jaren Hall, after only being with the team for a few days.
Dobbs didn’t know most of the playbook and couldn’t even call guys by their first names. But somehow, he did enough to help the Vikings escape the Falcons on Sunday.
But Dobbs started plenty of games with the Cardinals this season. He had one particular game against the Cowboys but couldn’t help the Cardinals win any other games. So, while the hype is real with Dobbs, it’s hard to trust a quarterback with only two wins on his resume this season.
The Saints have only allowed 192 yards per game in the air this season. They’ve also held teams to 112.33 yards on the ground. The defense has been good enough to win in most games this season. Adebo stepped up last week, but it’ll probably be a different guy this week. The Saints are loaded with talent on the defensive end, holding NFL teams to 19 points per game.
At the end of the day, Dobbs doesn’t have much talent to throw the ball to. T.J. Hockenson was like his Zach Ertz in Arizona. In Arizona, he had Marquise Brown. In Minnesota, he’s got Jordan Addison. We don’t even know if K.J. Osborn can play after he suffered a concussion last weekend.
Meanwhile, the Vikings have struggled with its pass rush and continue to miss tackles at a high rate. The Saints haven’t had the most consistent offense this year, but the star power is way greater than Minnesota’s offense.
Both teams can make the postseason with this year’s NFL playoff format. But we still feel like the Saints have the advantage when looking at the Saints vs Vikings odds. There are many NFL points spreads this week, but the Saints at -3 is one of our favorites.
For NFL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
