The first game of the preseason is a crazy time for a football fan. All of the offseason excitement is pent up ready to explode at just the very sight of football — but then the harsh reality of backup ball takes over the TV screen. Sports bettors are well aware of the nuances found in the preseason, especially with coaching records against the spread and how good a team’s backup actually is versus the system of an offense. The late game on Thursday night features both of those scenarios, with a rather easy pathway to cashing a ticket. This game should be a breeze in making some money, so let’s look at the best Vikings-Seahawks pick that provides the cleanest pathway to cashing.
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Best Vikings-Seahawks Pick: Battle of Backups Favors One Side
It is one thing to not care about winning the first game of the preseason, but in the case of the Seahawks and Pete Carroll, it is like an outright dismissal. While Carrol has an impressive 12-3 against-the-spread record in Game 3 of the preseason, he is just 7-8-1 in the opener — including a recent 1-3 stretch against the spread. The Vikings have a much better record in both this series — 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 against Seattle — and the preseason — a 6-2 against-the-spread Game 1 record over their last eight tries. Where is the offense going to be generated? Drew Lock? The Seahawks will not get much of anything out of their starters like Geno Smith, so this game becomes a struggle for Seattle to move the ball in general. Just because it is backup versus backup does not mean the offenses will take advantage of bad defense; it is usually the opposite, which is why Lock and Holton Ahlers will struggle to score.
Nick Mullens will see a lot of action on the other side for Minnesota, and he is a more seasoned quarterback with real game experience. While there is vanilla play calling and scaled-down schemes, the Vikings have a better shot of winning this game outright in a defensive battle — or struggle — than anything else. The Seahawks are on a combined 1-7 run against the spread over the first two weeks of the preseason; they may be a sure-fire bet come Week 3, but for now they are a heavy fade.
Best Vikings-Seahawks Pick: Seattle Seahawks Under 19.5 Points Team Total (-105, BetMGM)
