Vikings vs. Cardinals: NFL Week 2 betting odds, preview, and pick

The Minnesota Vikings will try to rebound from their opening-week, overtime loss when they visit the Arizona Cardinals in NFL Week 2 action.

Vikings must clean up mistakes

The Vikings will feel very frustrated by their 27-24 defeat to the Bengals onSunday, in large part because they continually shot themselves in the foot.

The Vikings committed 12 penalties for 116 yards, and Dalvin Cook’s fumble in overtime set up the game-winning field goal as time expired in overtime. The penalties were so bad that Minnesota was flagged four times in the first eight plays.

The Vikings can take heart in the fact that they rallied, from down 21-7 in the third quarter, to force overtime.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins also played well. He completed 36 of his 49 passes, for 351 yards and a pair of scores. The defense also locked Cincinnati down in the second half and conceded just six points over the final 30 minutes of the game, including overtime.

The Vikings will have an advantage defensively Sunday with defensive back Patrick Peterson. He will be able to help game plan for Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and quarterback Kyler Murray. Minnesota will need to apply pressure (they sacked Joe Burrow five times) and prevent Murray from hurting them with his legs.

Cardinals look to build off dominant performance

In a 38-13 win over Tennessee, Murray became the first Cardinals quarterback in nearly 60 years to throw for four touchdowns and rush for another, while Chandler Jones tied a franchise record with five sacks.

The Cardinals held Derrick Henry to just 58 yards on 17 carries, and Arizona outgained Tennessee, 416-248, in total yards. The defense got to Ryan Tannehill six times, Jones recorded three sacks in the first quarter, and Arizona jumped to a 17-0 lead and never looked back.

The Cardinals may find it a bit tougher to get to Cousins on Sunday. He was sacked just three times last weekend, in more than 50 pass plays, and has been sacked just nine times in four starts against Arizona.

It will be interesting to see if the Arizona defense can continue to show improvement, if it is not able to replicate the pressure from the opening game.

Vikings and Cardinals trends

• The Vikings have failed to cover the spread in their last eight games.
• The Vikings are 1-4 in their last five games.
• The Over is 4-1 in the last five games for the Vikings.
• The Cardinals have covered the spread just three times in their last 10 games.
• The Over is 5-1 in the last six home games for the Cardinals.

The verdict

Murray has weapons galore in the passing game, and I expect Arizona to put up a large number again. The Over has hit in all but one of Arizona's last six home games, and Minnesota gave up 24 points in regulation to a Bengals offense that features fewer threats.

Buy the hook and take Over 50.5 in this matchup, a number that has been surpassed in 13 of Minnesota’s last 17 games.

Score prediction: Arizona 31, Minnesota 27

NFL Week 2 pick: Over 50.5 (-118)