Football
The No. 5 seed Minnesota Vikings will visit the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams in an NFC showdown on Monday Night Football as part of the 2025 NFL Wild Card schedule. The Vikings didn’t win their division despite going 14-3 during the regular season. In Week 18, they lost to the Detroit Lions, 31-9, in a contest for a No. 1 seed in the NFL playoff bracket and division crown. Meanwhile, the Rams clinched the NFC West and rested their starters in the 30-25 Week 18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. These teams played in Week 8, when the Rams won, 30-20. Rams vs. Vikings has been moved from California to Arizona due to the L.A.-area wildfires.
Kickoff from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the Cardinakls, is set for 8 p.m. ET. Minnesota is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Vikings vs. Rams odds from the SportsLine Consensus, up a half-point from the opener, while the over/under for total points scored is 47.5, also up a half-point from the opening line. The Vikings are -143 money-line favorites (risk $143 to win $100) after opening at -125, while the Rams are +120 underdogs (risk $100 to win $120) after opening at +105. Before locking in any Vikings vs. Rams picks, make sure to check out the NFL predictions and NFL betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model, as well as everything else that SportsLine has to help you crush your NFL Wild Card picks.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters the 2025 NFL playoffs on a 31-14 betting hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year, a stunning 69% success rate. Longer term, it is on a 211-142 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 65-35 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
Now, the model has simulated Vikings vs. Rams 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NFL picks and NFL betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for Vikings vs. Rams:
- Vikings vs. Rams spread: Minnesota -2.5
- Vikings vs. Rams over/under: 47.5 points
- Vikings vs. Rams money line: Minnesota -143, Los Angeles +121
- MIN: Vikings are 11-5-1 against the spread this season
- LAR: Rams are 9-8 against the spread this season
- Vikings vs. Rams picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Vikings vs. Rams streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Football Why the Vikings can cover
Quarterback Sam Darnold has been lights-out for the Vikings this season. Darnold finished the regular season ranked fifth in passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35) with a 60.6 QBR. The USC product has thrown multiple passing touchdowns in 12 games this season.
Receiver Justin Jefferson is an elite playmaker. Jefferson was sixth in the NFL in catches (103) and touchdowns (10) while ranking second in receiving yards (1,533). He’s also reeled in 28 catches of 20-plus years downfield. In Week 8 against the Rams, Jefferson had eight catches for 115 yards. See who to back at SportsLine.
Football Why the Rams can cover
Quarterback Matthew Stafford continues to be a stout weapon under center. This season, Stafford ranked 13th in passing yards (3,762) with 20 passing touchdowns. He had at least two passing touchdowns in four of his last seven games. Running back Kyren Williams is a reliable force in the backfield. Williams had 1,299 rushing yards and 14 rushing scores this season.
Receiver Puka Nucua is able to finish consistently on all three levels of the field. In 2024, he had 79 receptions for 990 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. He led the team with an average of 90 receiving yards per game. See who to back at SportsLine.
Football How to make Vikings vs. Rams picks
The model is leaning Over the point total, projecting 48 total points, and it also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s picks.
So who wins Rams vs. Vikings in the NFL playoffs 2025, and which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rams vs. Vikings spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $7,000 on top-rated NFL picks.
Read More CBS Sports Staff