NFL Betting: Who’s Horny and Loves the Color Purple?

READ MORE: Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Monday Night Football, NFL Betting

If that’s you, eager bettor, well Covers has listed all the assurances you need that your foolish bet is a profitable one. Behold the five reason why the Minnesota Vikings and their toothless offense will cover their frozen asses at Lambeau tonight:

5. Dovonte Edwards eager to face Favre

As an undrafted rookie cornerback, Dovonte Edwards would figure to be at a huge disadvantage against a veteran gunslinger like Brett Favre. However, Edwards wants nothing more than the future Hall of Famer to chuck the pigskin in his direction Monday night.

“I want a chance to make a name for myself on ‘Monday Night Football,’” Edwards told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. “As a corner, you got to want the quarterback to throw your way, otherwise it`s like you`re not even out there.”

Think that’s naïve rookie enthusiasm? Think again. Edwards was able to make the Vikings roster after playing the cornerback position for just two years in college. He began his Division I career as a wideout, and his ability to learn the position so quickly has earned him the respect of his position mates.

“That really is impressive,” said cornerback Antoine Winfield. “That`s a big change, going from receiver to corner in two years.”

Yep. Dovonte Edwards is pumped-up. Who doesn’t feel better? Proceed to the rest of the logic-defying reaches after the jump.

4. No more Lambeau mystique

The Packers used to be considered a lock at Lambeau Field, but the mystique surrounding the frozen tundra seems to have melted away.

The Pack have suffered some of their most embarrassing losses at Lambeau this season including a 17-3 loss to Detroit to open the campaign, a 26-24 loss to the brutal Cleveland Browns in Week 2 and a 20-10 drubbing by Pittsburgh two weeks ago. Green Bay is 1-3 at home this season with two paydays in those games.

The Vikings are 1-3 as an away team this season, but are hot off an impressive 24-21 victory at Giants stadium last week as 9-point underdogs.

3. Brad Johnson

With all due respect to Daunte Culpepper, the Vikings offense has been much more stable with backup Brad Johnson under center.

Whereas Culpepper ended his season with six touchdowns to 12 interceptions, Johnson has tossed three majors in his first two starts without a single pick. The Vikings no longer pose a deep threat with the 14-year vet at quarterback, but what he lacks in arm makes up in football smarts.

The Vikings credit last week’s game-winning drive to Johnson’s play calling, and believe his leadership will be a huge asset during the rest of campaign.

“Brad stayed calm,” receiver Nate Burleson told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “He got in the huddle and ad-libbed a little bit. He went to each receiver and told us what route he wanted us to run. He was able to control it, to orchestrate what we did. We made the plays because he put us in position to.”

2. Faulty holder foiling Green Bay

If Monday’s night Vikings-Packers contest comes down a field goal (four of the last five meeting have), the Packers are at a huge disadvantage.

Holder B.J. Sander’s bumbling has cost kicker Ryan Longwell four field-goal tries and an extra-point attempt this season and the Pack’s moneyline backers two paydays. Sander dropped the snap on what would have been a chip-shot field goal against Detroit in Week 1, bobbled the snaps on a missed extra-point and field-goal attempt in the Week 3 tilt with Tampa Bay and mishandled the pigskin on two missed field goals the Week 7 defeat to Minnesota.

The Packers lost to the Buccaneers by just a single point and dropped a three-point decision to Minnesota.

“I think there has to be a chemistry there [and] a trust factor that develops [between the holder and kicker],” special teams coach John Bonamego told the Green Bay Press Gazette. “Knowing the ball is going to get down and get down a certain way and for Ryan and B.J., that’s still an ongoing process.”

Unfortunately for Bonamego, he has little choice but to stay with Sander. Backup holder Aaron Rodgers has proven even more unreliable than Sanders in practice.

1. Monday a must win for Minnesota

There’s still more than a month left in the regular season, but it’s already playoff time as far as the Vikings are concerned.

At 4-5, Monday night`s contest is a critical juncture for Minnesota’s playoff hopes. A loss would pretty much put the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears out of reach while a win would keep the postseason drive alive for another week.

“This is big. It gives us a chance to get to .500,” Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. “If we lose this one, we`re definitely going to be in trouble. We`re fighting to catch Chicago. We can`t afford to lose, especially in our division.”

The pressure has been intense for Minnesota to win these past four weeks and the team’s responded by winning three of those contests including two in a row since Culpepper was lost to injury. Expect the same from the Vikings when they face Green Bay on the Monday night stage.