Let’s give this a whirl, shall we?
We’re waiting patiently for Monday night to come along so that we can watch our Minnesota Vikings face off with the Los Angeles Rams as the finale of Super Wild Card Weekend. As a part of this weekend of playoff football, both college and pro, our friends at FanDuel are offering what they’re calling a “Playoff Payoff” promotion, where you can make a “no-sweat” same game parlay each day. If your bet should lose, you’ll receive your original bet back in bonus bets.
If I were a gambling man and wanted to test my luck by putting down a parlay bet on Monday night’s game, here are the three bets that I would combine to make that happen.
Justin Jefferson: Anytime touchdown scorer (-105)
This is Jefferson’s second playoff appearance and he’s still looking for his first postseason touchdown. He was also kept out of the end zone when these two teams met in the regular season, and he’s going to find his way into the end zone eventually. If you’re feeling extra frisky, you could move this to either the first or last touchdown of the game, both of which are currently sitting at +650, but I’m going to play this one safe because it seems. . .seems. . .like an easy one.
T.J. Hockenson: Over 4.5 catches (+126)
Hockenson was one of many Vikings who had a pretty rough outing on Sunday night. He didn’t play in the first matchup between these two teams, and the Rams haven’t fared terribly well against tight ends for most of the season. If Sam Darnold gets back on the right track in this one, and I think that he will, Hockenson could be in for a big night, and should play a significant role in this one.
Sam Darnold: Over 265.5 passing yards (-114)
Did I say that Darnold is going to get things back on track in this one? I certainly did, because I believe that’s what’s going to happen. I think Sunday’s game might have finally impressed upon Kevin O’Connell that the Vikings need to give themselves more opportunities in the short passing game, and if the Rams try to emulate the same defensive strategy the Vikings faced on Sunday night, it could work to Darnold’s benefit. Let your playmakers make plays after the catch and watch the yards (and, hopefully, points) pile up in this one.
If you put these three bets together as a same game parlay, right now it will give you odds of +468, meaning a $100 bet would get you a payout of $468 ($368 in profit). It’s not “retire to a desert island” money or anything like that, but it’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
Are there any player bets that you’re looking at for Monday night’s game, folks?