Do the Minnesota Vikings Have Something to Prove in Week 4?

The 1-2 Minnesota Vikings (+105) play at home in Week 4 against the 2-1 Cleveland Browns (-125). A Week 3 victory against the Seattle Seahawks proved the Vikings have what it takes to win as the underdog.

Before you check out BetMGM’s NFL betting odds for the Browns-Vikings game, here’s a preview of this exciting matchup.

Vikings vs. Browns

Both teams in this Vikings vs. Browns matchup are coming off big wins. Last week, Browns’ quarterback Baker Mayfield tore up the Chicago Bears defense, throwing for 246 yards and one touchdown.

He’ll come into Minnesota with plenty of offensive weapons.

On the other hand, Kirk Cousins has been one of the most accurate passers in the league. For the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, Cousins has thrown for 918 yards, eight touchdowns, and no interceptions.

His 73.95% completion percentage and 118.3 passer rating show that he can still be a dominant starting quarterback for the Vikings.

His targets, wide receivers Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson, have combined for 41 receptions, 435 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. In addition, second-year wide receiver K.J. Osborne is averaging 13.8 yards per reception.

So, Cousins has proven how good he is at spreading the ball around. But perhaps the one with the most to prove is the Vikings’ tight end, Tyler Conklin.

Can Tyler Conklin Help to Balance the Offense?

The depth of Minnesota’s running backs with Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison is a vital part of their offense. So far, the team has averaged an astounding 29 points per game.

That’s because their running backs have split 72 carries between Cousin’s 88 passing completions. As a result, the Vikings’ two-dimensional offense is a constant scoring threat.

Conklin might be the player most primed to balance the Viking’s offense in the future at tight end.

With 13 receptions, 126 total yards, and one touchdown, Conklin averages 9.7 yards per catch. That makes him a perfect red zone threat.

If Cousins starts connecting with Conklin more often, the Vikings’ offense will be scary good this season.

Even with the over-under at 51 points, the over is slightly favored at -115 versus the under at -105. This game will be high-scoring.

Can the Vikings Cover the Spread?

With home-field advantage for the second week in a row, the Vikings are the underdog. This week, they’re getting +1.5 for the point spread.

They are 2-1 against the spread this year (1-0 at home).

Last week against the Seahawks, the Vikings had 453 total yards, 28 first downs, and went 9 for 14 on third down. Their time of possession totaled 35 minutes, more than half of the game.

Right now, the Vikings’ offense is proving itself to be one of the best in the NFC. However, they’ll face a big test at home this week against the Browns.

Still, I like the Vikings getting points at home, and I’d also take them for the money line at +105.

What Can the Minnesota Vikings Prove at Home?

The Minnesota Vikings get another home game this week against a formidable opponent, but Cousins has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league thus far. So, he has all the tools he needs to be successful.

If tight end Conklin becomes another target in the red zone, it will be hard to stop the Vikings’ offense in Week 4.

Do you think Minnesota and Cleveland will both put up big points this week? Then pick them for BetMGM’s King of the Weekend promo. You choose the six teams that you believe will score the most points and have a chance at $50,000 without risking any money.