The Vikings look to extend their magical season against the veteran Rams in the final game of Wild Card weekend. Sam Darnold is coming off a Pro Bowl campaign where he helped transform this franchise’s short-term trajectory.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Minnesota is currently a 2.5-point favorite, with the game’s total set at 47.5 points. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bet centered around Darnold in this NFC showdown.
Best Sam Darnold Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Sam Darnold Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (-185)
With the division crown and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on the line last week, Sam Darnold was abysmal. He looked visually rattled, missing throws he made routine all year. It wasn’t as simple as Darnold succumbing to the pressure of the moment. His elite pass catchers struggled to create separation against man coverage, and the offensive line up front had no answer for Detroit’s second and third-string pass rushers. Darnold couldn’t capitalize when he needed to, but it was a total offensive failure.
He faces a much more vulnerable unit this week. Los Angeles is 25th in defensive EPA per play and is 27th against the pass. The secondary, in particular, has been a disaster and is susceptible to allowing the big play. Darnold and company might’ve lost the first meeting but still tallied 240 yards through the air.
The southern California fires have forced this game to Arizona, which considerably neutralizes the Rams’ home-field advantage. The lack of a raucous crowd should ease Darnold and company, who haven’t had consecutive weeks struggling to score. Darnold is closer to the player from the first 17 games of the season than the one who put up an ill-advised stinker last Sunday. He’s thrown for at least two scores 12 times this campaign—he should easily surpass this line.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is xaiver-aguiar) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
