Are the Vikings grasping at their last playoff straw?

It’s adversity against adversity on Thursday when the Minnesota Vikings host the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Thurday Night Game. Both teams are currently just outside the playoff spots and desperately need a win.

Moreover, both teams have lost two of their last three games. Pittsburgh and Minnesota have one more thing in common. They are the only two teams the Detroit Lions have scored against this season – not necessarily an accolade.

So we don’t expect a points festival or a high-class match on Thursday. Instead, the team that makes fewer mistakes will probably come out on top in the end. Statistically speaking, the Vikings have the advantage.

They have only nine turnovers this season, compared to 14 for the Steelers, so our prediction for Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh is a home win for the Vikings, who could also boost their play-off chances.

Kickoff of the Thursday Night Game of NFL Match Week 14 is on Friday night at 02.20 in Minneapolis. The match can be watched live on DAZN.

Minnesota Vikings – Statistics & current form

The Vikings are currently dominating the headlines, but not in the way they would have liked. They became the first team this season to lose to the worst team of the season, the Lions – and the internet is making fun of it.

It is the art of the Vikings in 2021 to trip themselves up and squander almost certain victories. We only have to remember the overtime defeats against the Bengals or the Ravens. But the fact that Minnesota is still in the playoff race is almost miraculous.

Just one win behind the playoff ranks

But to actually make it to the postseason, the Vikings will need a really strong finish. With the Rams and Packers still to come, a win against Pittsburgh is almost a must.

And it is quite possible, because Minnesota has a few more weapons to offer offensively than Pittsburgh – even after the loss of Dalvin Cook. On average, they also score 5.4 points more per game than their upcoming opponent.

Is Adam Thielen out?

The situation at the receiver positions could become a bigger problem, however, if Adam Thielen is also out for Thursday. The wide receiver injured his left ankle early against Detroit. Even if it is just a sprain, time is of the essence.

With the next game already on Thursday, Thielen could very well miss, which would shift even more of the pressure and focus of opposing defenses on Jefferson. Then it would finally be time for Dede Westbrook to put on a breakout game.

Even in the event of a Thielen breakdown, however, we see Minnesota ahead because the Vikings not only have the better passing game, but also the better running game. So in Vikings vs Steelers, the odds on Minnesota are clear to take advantage with a handicap of up to -3.

Key Players:
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Alexander Mattison
WR: Adam Thielen
WR: Justin Jefferson
K: Greg Joseph

Pittsburgh Steelers – stats & current form

The Steelers were and remain the biggest surprise package in the league. They only play to a draw against Detroit and concede two huge defeats to the Bengals, but then win games against Buffalo, Denver or Baltimore.

Especially the success against the Ravens at the weekend came as a surprise given their current form. Before that, the Steelers had conceded 41 points twice in a row. But on Sunday, the defence stood its ground once again, albeit with a bit of luck in the end.

Defence between good and bad

It’s not just Big Ben that’s been a surprise egg this season, but also their defence, which has been so solid in recent years. Despite those two games of 41 points conceded, the defence is still averaging a good 23.8 counter points per game.

If it weren’t for these occasional lapses, they would probably even be knocking on the door of the top 10. With 130.9 yards conceded against the run, however, the main problem is quickly identified. So it’s unfortunate that their upcoming opponent has quite a good running game.

Matchup speaks against the Steelers

With Thielen missing a key wide receiver, the Vikings could rely more on the run. Then we will see if Pittsburgh could draw the right conclusions from their poor performance against the run.

We don’t really expect that, especially in Minnesota, where the Vikings are a lot stronger than away from home. It should be very difficult for Big Ben and his team, which is why we favour a tip against Pittsburgh for Vikings vs Steelers.

Key Players:
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Najee Harris
WR: Chase Claypool
TE: Pat Freiermuth
K: Chris Boswell

Minnesota Vikings – Pittsburgh Steelers Head-to-head comparison / H2H record

These two teams only play each other once every four years, which is why a direct comparison has little meaning. Nevertheless, we want to mention it briefly – and there the Steelers stand at 4:1 victories in this millennium.

Nevertheless, we are clearly going with the Vikings for Thursday. For one thing, they have a 3-2 record at home and even beat the Packers in their last home appearance. Also, their running game is simply better. Especially in cold temperatures, that should always be an advantage.

Since we expect a very cold Minneapolis, this running game is also the point that makes us target odds per Minnesota for Vikings vs Steelers. A -3 to -4 point handicap should also still be good to cover.

Minnesota Vikings – Pittsburgh Steelers Tip

The Vikings need to win and they are doing a much better job at home than away this season. For the Steelers it’s the other way round, which is why Minnesota is the clear favourite for us – as well as for the bookmakers.

So for Vikings vs. Steelers, betting on Head Coach Mike Zimmer’s men is our No.1 betting option, followed by a bet that no team will break the 30-point mark. That has only happened once this millennium in this matchup.

Alternatively, bets on a rushing touchdown by Alexander Mattison are also worth considering. He has managed to do so the last two weeks, after all. Against this weak Pittsburgh run defence, the odds are once again good.