The Minnesota Vikings are slight favorites in NFL odds as they host the Dallas Cowboys in what could be considered an elimination game. Each team is 1-3 and the loser goes to 1-4. These two teams were very popular picks in NFL lines before the season began but one of them could be pretty much out of it when this game is over.
History Against the Loser – So is this really an elimination game? History says it is. Since 1990 there have been 240 teams that made the playoffs in 20 years and just 11 of those teams were three games under .500 after their first five games. That means the chances for the loser of this game making the playoffs is less than 5 percent. It looks like an elimination game based on that number. Neither the Vikings nor the Cowboys have ever started 1-4 and recovered the make the playoffs.
Recent Matchup – With all that has happened to the Vikings and Cowboys recently you may have forgotten that these two teams met in the playoffs last season. The Vikings routed the Cowboys 34-3 in NFL odds in that game. Minnesota lost the next week in the NFC title game to New Orleans and just missed out on going to the Super Bowl. Things have gone downhill ever since for Minnesota. They have also gone downhill for the Cowboys.
Romo or Favre – The Vikings are at home and at times last week Brett Favre looked like he could still play. At other times the looked old and injured. He does have Randy Moss now and perhaps Favre can get his old arm going again. Tony Romo has been pretty good for Dallas this season but he is also throwing interceptions. Whichever quarterback makes fewer mistakes could be the one that wins against the NFL lines on Sunday.
Randy Moss – You may not know this but the Cowboys don’t beat a team that has Randy Moss on it. Moss still holds a grudge against Dallas for not taking him in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He takes out his frustration on Dallas. The Cowboys are 0-7 against Moss. The Vikings with Moss beat the Cowboys five times, the Patriots beat them once and the Raiders beat them.