Week 8 of the NFL season will feature a matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota enters Week 8 on a 4 game winning streak, while the Cardinals snapped their losing streak with a win in last week’s edition of Thursday Night Football. Both teams have exceptional offenses, but which team has the defense to step up and save the day?
Our NFL expert has picks, predictions and best bets for this matchup, so let’s break it all down.
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NFL Week 8 Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings prediction
This matchup will offer plenty of offensive firepower as the duo of Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins take on the always dangerous tandem of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. As displayed in the game total, oddsmakers expect both offenses to find holes in the opposing defense and to run up the score. Let’s take a look at the odds, plus our picks and predictions.
Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings spread, odds & betting lines
Point Spread: Cardinals +3.5 (-110), Vikings -3.5 (-110)
Total Points Over/Under: 49 points
Money Line Odds: Cardinals +155, Vikings -180
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Be sure to also check some of our other NFL Predictions articles for Week 8 below.
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Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings expert picks
We’ve got 2 standout NFL picks for this week’s clash between the Cardinals and Vikings.
Cardinals vs Vikings point spread pick: Vikings -3.5 (-110)
The Minnesota Vikings can be a troubling team to invest in when it comes to picks against the spread. They are 2-4 this season and are 2-4 ATS in their last six games coming off a bye week. However, this is a new regime with Kevin O’Connell replacing Mike Zimmer at the helm, so the past might not be as relevant here. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 4-3 against the spread this season and 3-1 ATS on the road. Does the trend hold this week with the Vikings favored at home by four?
Most people will look at last week’s Arizona game and get pretty hyped about their offense. DeAndre Hopkins returned to action, and Kyler Murray force-fed him 14 targets, by far and away, more than any Cardinals receiver had seen from Murray at any point this season. On top of that, Eno Benjamin looks explosive as he continues to replace James Conner (ribs) in the backfield. The Vikings rank 21st in DVOA against both the run and the pass but keep in mind that they’ve allowed just six passing touchdowns on the season, and their offensive line is not only dealing with a variety of injuries but also doesn’t match up well against the Vikings front-seven.
Arizona’s defense has done well against the run this season and could limit Dalvin Cook, but against the pass, they rank 27th in DVOA as they allow almost 260 passing yards per game, and have given up 12 touchdowns through the air. This Vikings offense is built to throw, and containing the likes of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen may just be too much for them to handle. O’Connell has had two weeks to get his team prepared for this game, and it will show on the field.
Be sure to check out our full Cardinals vs Vikings predictions
Cardinals vs Vikings Over/Under totals pick: Over 49 (-110)
While the Minnesota Vikings have averaged 23.2 points per game this season and the Arizona Cardinals 22.3, Las Vegas is pushing the narrative of a high-scoring shootout with its 49-point game total. Both teams are capable of running the ball well, but more importantly, both teams have extremely potent passing attacks. The Vikings receiving tandem of Jefferson and Thielen is one of the best in the league, and the return of Hopkins has revitalized Murray and the Cardinals’ offense.
The ground game for both clubs could prove to be the key, but more so for the Vikings. The Cardinals air-raid offense dictates a heavy pass volume, so while they will try to establish the run with Benjamin, it probably isn’t a priority for head coach Kliff Kingsbury. For the Vikings, it’s a little different. O’Connell favors the pass, but Kirk Cousins plays better out of play-action so expect some early efforts from Cook. Once that opens up Minnesota’s passing attack, we could see the floodgates open.
Most see this game as Jefferson versus Hopkins, and they may be right. Neither coach lives to run the ball, and both offenses are built for shootouts. It all comes down to whether their defenses can hold, even just a little, but the outlook for that isn’t all that great.
Be sure to check out all of our expert betting insight, analysis and even more NFL Predictions and NFL Best Bets from the rest of the Week 8 action.
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