Plenty of reasons to back Packers

The “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Packers visiting the Vikings is being hyped as a big NFC North battle.

But it’s not all it’s being made out to be as the Packers can still clinch the division title with a win at lowly Detroit in Week 17 if they lose this game and the Vikings clinched at least a wild-card spot with the Rams losing on Saturday.

The Vikings opened between a 4- and 4 ¹/2-point home favorite a week ago Sunday and that was up to -5 ¹/2 at most books Sunday afternoon. It’s kind of understandable with the Vikings at 6-0 straight-up and 4-2 against the spread at home this season, and a lot of people are thinking this is a “must-win” game for them, but instead it gives us more value on the Packers as our VSiN Top Play.

I’m actually not very high on the Packers this season as their offense has been inconsistent and their defense has been overrated, but they’re still 11-3.

Objectively, I have this as a coin-flip to win straight-up just like the first meeting in Week 2, which the Packers won 21-16 in Green Bay as Aaron Rodgers shined early and Kirk Cousins choked late with a red-zone INT. Need more reasons to back the Packers and fade the Vikings? RB Dalvin Cook ran for 154 yards and a TD in that game but will miss the rematch, and let’s not forget Cousins is famously bad in big games, including an all-time worst 0-8 on “Monday Night Football.”

I wouldn’t be surprised by the same result as the first meeting, but it’s nice to have the bonus points with the Packers as this could very well come down to a field goal either way.

THE PLAY: Packers +5 ¹/2.

Dave Tuley writes for Point Spread Weekly, VSiN’s digital magazine for sports bettors.