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- Minnesota (5-1) is a 3-point road favorite over the Los Angeles Rams (2-4) in Week 8
- Cooper Kupp is expected to return after missing four games with an ankle injury
- Thursday Night Football kicks off from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA at 8:20 pm ET
Sam Darnold and the Vikings lost their first game of the season on Sunday, falling to the Lions 31-29 in a thrilling division showdown. Minnesota will look to get back on track versus a LA Rams team coming off a 20-15 victory over the Raiders. Sean McVay needs to string together wins to get his squad back into the NFC playoff picture, but he’ll be in tough against former protégé Kevin O’Connell.
Before we examine the odds for Rams vs Vikings, check out the best TNF bets for Week 8 and the the top betting sites for NFL football 2024.
Rams vs Vikings
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Minnesota Vikings | -3.0 (-123) | -165 | Ov 47.0 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Rams | +3.0 (+103) | +145 | Un 47.0 (-110) |
Darnold’s down day
Sam Darnold passed for 259 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 31-29 loss to Detroit in Week 7. It was by far the 27-year-old’s worst day as a Viking. Brian Flores’ defense was also exposed by the Lions, who racked 391 total yards of offense.
After Jahmyr Gibbs carved them up for 160 scrimmage yards and two TDs, Minnesota will now have to deal with Kyren Williams. The Rams back ran for 76 yards and a pair of scores in a 20-15 win over Las Vegas. Heading into Monday night, Williams’ eight rushing TDs tied him with Derrick Henry for the league lead.
#Vikings QB Sam Darnold has thrown only 1 TD in 10 quarters now.
The defense scoring TDs every game isn’t sustainable all year long. pic.twitter.com/wbztbeKqmF
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 20, 2024
Kupp’s return
Cooper Kupp looks set to return from an ankle injury that cost him four games. It’s a big boost for a receiving corps also missing Puka Nacua. Rookie Jordan Whittington filled in admirably in Week 7, recording seven catches for 89 yards.
However, all of the Rams points against the Raiders came off turnovers. Sean McVay’s young, ball-hawking defense came away with three interceptions and a fumble recovery in Sunday’s win.
Los Angeles vs Minnesota
Minnesota is a 3-point road favorite on Thursday night and the over/under is set a healthy 47-points. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell won Super Bowl 56 as offensive coordinator for the Rams. After saving a boatload of money by swapping out Kirk Cousins for Sam Darnold in the offseason, his offense is averaging the sixth-most points (28) in the NFL through seven weeks.
Meanwhile, O’Connell’s former mentor may once again be contemplating retirement. With Kupp and Nacua on the shelf for most of the season, the Rams have a bottom-ten offense, generating just 19 points per contest.
With a win against Las Vegas, Head Coach Sean McVay tied John Robinson (79 wins) for the most wins by a Head Coach in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/ww1ypWjhfO
— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) October 20, 2024
Best Bet
Travelling from Minnesota to Los Angeles on a short week is no easy task, but Kevin O’Connell’s club is better than the Rams on both sides of the ball. We like Darnold to bounce back on Thursday night. Take the Vikings to cover (-3) with the UNDER 47 points.
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