The Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos meet in Week 3 of the NFL preseason tonight. Kickoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET from Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo. The game will broadcast live on NFL Network.
The Broncos are favored at 64% and -3.5 on the spread at 50%, with the over/under set at 39.5 total points.
Let's get into my Vikings vs. Broncos predictions and NFL picks for Friday, August 28.
My Vikings vs Broncos Prediction
- Vikings vs Broncos pick: Over 38.5 – NO 52%
My Vikings vs Broncos best bet is on No to Over 38.5 points. As always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Vikings vs Broncos Odds
Vikings vs Broncos NFL Preseason Preview
Bo Nix and the Broncos' starting offensive unit played two drives last week against the Packers, resulting in three first downs and 10 points scored.
After most of the starters exited the lineup, the Denver offense struggled. Of the 225 total yards the offense was able to muster for the game’s entirety, just 130 were gained when Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger were handed the keys to the offense.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton has remained steadfast that the No. 2 QB spot is still up for grabs as he continues to evaluate both players in their last preseason game.
Nix will not be suiting up, and the other two signal-callers will also not have the services of playmakers such as Jaylen Waddle and RJ Harvey.
My expectation is that it's Ehlinger’s turn to get the majority of the reps against the Vikings considering Stidham saw more action a week ago.
It wasn’t just Stidham who was unimpressive — the Denver rushing attack was unproductive because it could not get a push up front. Payton’s offense gained only 3.2 yards per rush on 22 attempts.
The aggressive Minnesota defense under Brian Flores will continue to make life difficult for the Broncos. Flores may not unleash the full potential of his exotic scheme, but the Vikings have played sound football this preseason — even beyond their starting lineup — as players further down the depth chart are asked to meet the standard Flores has established.
Minnesota has surrendered just 23 total points through two games against the Giants and Ravens. Baltimore rushed for just 58 yards while New York gained just 70 yards on the ground — both averaged 2.6 yards per carry against the Minnesota front seven.
For the Vikings offense, we should once again see the trio of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer. McCarthy did suffer a minor ankle injury this week in practice, but Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell seems to have the urge to get another look at his much-maligned quarterback.
McCarthy continues to struggle with inaccuracy and has been outplayed by Wentz, according to accounts of training camp.
Minnesota has yet to crack 5 yards per play on offense in either of its two preseason games and has put up 16 total points. Similar to the Broncos’ issues, the Vikings’ run game has failed to support their quarterbacks, averaging fewer than 4 yards per carry in both games.
O’Connell simply does not place much emphasis on scheme and offensive output during the exhibition season. Over their last five games, the Vikings have scored more than 13 points just once.
Minnesota has struggled to get into any type of rhythm and sustain drives. With McCarthy already dealing with an ailment and Wentz establishing exactly what he can provide for this team, Brosmer could be relied upon more in this particular game.
Vikings vs Broncos Prediction, Betting Analysis
In a game where both defenses have the edge, I am surprised to see this total above the key number of 37.
Polymarket gives bettors the option to set their price in increments of two — the best course of action is sliding the scale to the 38.5 mark under the totals drop-down box.
The under is priced reasonably at 52% considering the struggles each offense has been enduring heading into each team’s final preseason game.
Pick: Over 38.5 – NO 52%
