Welcome to our NFL Preseason Week 1 picks for Sunday, August 14.
There’s only one game on the schedule, making this a featured contest between the Raiders and Vikings. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET, and NFL Network will carry the broadcast. That’s right…if you haven’t already resubscribed to the sports package, now is the time.
Sunday afternoon football just hits different, and we’re glad it’s back (even if it’s only the preseason). Let’s dive into the NFL Preseason Week 1 picks for Sunday!
NFL Preseason Week 1 Picks: Sunday, August 14
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Raiders vs. Vikings Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | +4 (-110) | +165 | O 36 (-110) |
| @ Raiders | -4 (-110) | -200 | U 36 (-110) |
Odds via Fliff Sportsbook as of 2 p.m. ET on Aug 13.
Game Info
- Date: Sunday, August 14
- Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- Location: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
- TV: NFL Network
Raiders vs. Vikings Trends
Let’s take a look at some relevant betting trends for the Raiders vs. Vikings as well as the NFL preseason in general:
- Raiders HC Josh McDaniels is 3-6 straight up in his preseason career.
- The Raiders already played a preseason game, beating the Jaguars 27-11 last Thursday.
- Underdogs are 53.5% against the spread in the NFL preseason in the previous ten years.
- As of Saturday afternoon, DraftKings reports that 73% of tickets and 92% of the money are on Las Vegas against the spread.
- The Over is 11-3 in preseason games this year.
Vikings Starters: Highly Questionable To Play
Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins will not play. As for the rest of the Vikings’ starters: we don’t know for sure. This is Kevin O’Connell’s first head coaching job, so we don’t know his tendencies. He also mentioned on Thursday that it “remains to be seen” if the starters will play against the Raiders.
However, we have to remember that O’Connell is coming from the Rams, where head coach Sean McVay never plays his starters in the preseason. Don’t expect to see Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, or the other first-stringers for Minnesota. That’s essentially why the Raiders are favored by more than a field goal in this game.
Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond will handle the snaps at quarterback. As a rookie, Mond looked rough in three preseason games last year, going a combined 28-of-51 for 310 yards and one interception with zero touchdowns. Having said that, he’s in a new (and improved) system with one professional season under his belt. Mond also made things happen with his legs last preseason, totaling 13 carries for 73 rushing yards. Scrambling quarterbacks tend to have an advantage in the chaos known as preseason football.
Preseason Game No. 2 For Raiders
We took the Raiders in the Hall of Fame Game, and they came through for us.
Most of the text in that preview also applies to Sunday’s matchup with the Vikings. We don’t know exactly what head coach Josh McDaniels has in store, but he seems more motivated to play his starters (at least a handful of snaps) and win this game than the other sideline. It doesn’t hurt that this is his coaching debut in front of the home fans, so perhaps he’ll want to make an impression.
Quarterbacks Nick Mullens and Jarrett Stidham were efficient last week. As we mentioned in the previous write-up, Mullens has recent regular season experience as an NFL signal-caller. Stidham orchestrated Josh McDaniel’s system in New England, so he knows how to run this offense. That was evident in the Hall of Fame Game, and it will probably be on display Sunday.
Raiders vs. Vikings Prediction
It’s not surprising that the Raiders are favored by more than a field goal. It’s also not surprising that they have attracted a large chunk of the betting cash. After all, the Raiders have already played (and looked decent) in a preseason game, and they have the advantage in terms of depth.
Raiders -4 is a pretty large spread for the first week of the preseason, but I’m laying the points here. Give me Stidham and the Raiders to pull this one out and cover the spread.
Matt Perrault, Props.com host of Just the Picks podcast, has hit nine straight NFL preseason picks. He’s taking the Raiders -4 as well.
The Pick: Raiders -4 | -110 at Fliff Sportsbook
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