Vikings Open 2022 Season as Home Underdogs
The NFL announced the full 2022 schedule on Thursday after a week and a half of dripping out various matchups like a faucet.
The Minnesota Vikings schedule is highlighted by three games on holidays — at home versus the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving, at home against the New York Giants on Christmas Eve, and on the road at the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Day 2023.
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Before all of that, Minnesota starts the 2022 season at home versus the Packers with a 3:25pm CST kickoff. The Vikings will showcase a brand new head coach in Kevin O’Connell, new free agents with Za’Darius Smith, Jordan Hicks, Harrison Phillips, and Chandon Sullivan, and a rookie draft class highlighted by Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth, and Ed Ingram.
But all of that change isn’t good enough for oddsmakers to surmise a Vikings victory, at least not in May. Per DraftKings, the Vikings are 1.5-point underdogs against the Packers in Week 1, which really indicates that Vegas believes Green Bay is about “4.5 points better” than Minnesota. Three points are the customary homefield advantage spread, and the Vikings checked in behind the eight-ball at 1.5 points.
Aaron Rodgers will begin his 18th season in Minneapolis, a place where he’s appeared human in the last eight years. Versus former Vikings skipper Mike Zimmer, the Packers were 8-7-1 (.531) against the Vikings, a far departure from Green Bay’s (and Rodgers’) success versus other opponents.
On the whole in his career, however, Rodgers thoroughly dominates everybody — and especially the Vikings. In his 17 seasons, Rodgers has thrown 56 touchdown passes to just seven interceptions against the purple and gold team, an alarming success ratio.
Moreover, new Vikings EDGE rusher Za’Darius Smith gets an early crack at his former team. The Packers opted not to retain Smith after he missed almost all of the 2021 season to injury. Smith entertained signing with the Baltimore Ravens but bolted for the Vikings after backing away from John Harbaugh’s team.
Yet, even a “revenge game” isn’t enough for oddsmakers to favor the Vikings.
The Vikings are 6-4 (.600) in Week 1 games in the last 10 years.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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