- The NFL will be playing a rare Christmas Day game where the New Orleans Saints are a seven-point favorite over the Minnesota Vikings.
- The Saints are 10-4 following a close loss to the Kansas City Chiefs while the Vikings are 6-8 and battling for a potential Wild Card.
NEW ORLEANS – While most sports fans are accustomed to opening presents and possibly enjoying a basketball game on Christmas Day, some will be tuned into a rare chapter of Christmas NFL Football.
In true 2020 fashion, the NFL will be breaking the mold this year and bringing back the NFL Christmas Special with one game to be played on December 25 between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.
The 6-8 Vikings will be spending Christmas in the Superdome hoping to unwrap a win they so desperately need to stay alive in the Wild Card race. They will face a Saints team that has already locked in a playoff spot and just narrowly took down the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Betting action from the major online sportsbooks is available with the Saints as a touchdown favorite to win.
NFL Christmas Special – 4:30 p.m. EST:
- Minnesota Vikings +250
- New Orleans Saints -300
- Spread: NO -7.0
- Over/Under: 52.0
The Vikings are still in the playoff race in the NFC, but two losses in a row including a rough 33-27 result against the Chicago Bears have knocked their chances down considerably.
Kirk Cousins continues to be serviceable at quarterback, but the Vikings defense simply cannot stop any team with a decent running game. The Vikings allowed 146 yards and two touchdowns to David Montgomery for the Bears, and now have to deal with Alvin Kamara and the rest of the Saints offense on Christmas Day.
While defeating the Saints would normally be a tough task, New Orleans has actually lost two straight games to the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
The Chiefs are an understandable stumble, but the Saints were truly shocked by Jalen Hurts and the Eagles two weeks ago. Due to these losses, the Saints have yet to secure the NFC South.
The key omission over the last few weeks has been Drew Brees, who made his return against Kansas City from 11 broken ribs and a punctured lung. Brees struggled in his return at first, missing his first six passes and throwing a pick, but was able to get into a rhythm towards the end of the game.
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Brees goes DEEP to Emmanuel Sanders 🎯
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/XAu9KI8xwj
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 20, 2020
Brees will need to heal up and be more effective if the Saints want to continue their Super Bowl aspirations. Luckily, he will be able to rely on Alvin Kamara more in a game against a Vikings rush defense that ranks in the bottom five of the NFL.
Betting By The Numbers
Bettors looking to wager on this game should consider that both the Saints and Vikings are pretty even against the spread, with Minnesota going 6-8 and New Orleans 7-7 ATS this season. Additionally, the Vikings have failed to cover the spread in five straight weeks.
Both teams have also gone 9-5 in over/unders this season, meaning they score more than the sportsbooks expect at a considerable rate.
The Vikings rank 25th in the scoring defense and will be going up against the ninth-best scoring offense in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Saints rank sixth in scoring defense going against the Vikings offense that ranks 14th.
Bettors can find full NFL Christmas Special odds or the game including player props, individual wagers, and more at any of the recommended international online sportsbooks.
Jimmy Reinman honed his skills across various mediums including print, radio, and broadcast before bringing his arsenal of knowledge to the team here at USAOnlineSportsbooks in 2020. When he’s not writing, you can find him in a state of focused stress on any College Football Saturday, or maniacally constructing NBA parlays on a cool spring evening.
