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The 2022 Thanksgiving Day NFL schedule will conclude when the Minnesota Vikings host the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings (8-2) will try to bounce back from their worst performance of the season, a 40-3 blowout loss to Dallas last Sunday. They still lead the NFC North and own the second-best record in the conference. Meanwhile, the Patriots (6-4) are tied for third place in the AFC East, one game behind Buffalo and Miami. They have won three in a row and five of their last six.

Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Minnesota is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Vikings vs. Patriots odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 42.5. Before you make any Patriots vs. Vikings picks of your own, you need to hear what SportsLine's resident Vikings expert, R.J. White, has to say.

White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes as SportsLine's No. 1 NFL expert in picks against the spread and went 445-378-24 on his ATS picks from 2017-21, which returned $2,542 to $100 players. He's also gone a whopping 52-28-4 (+$2,053) on his last 84 picks involving the Vikings, meaning he's well-qualified for this selection. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, he has locked in on Vikings vs. Patriots during the 2022 Thanksgiving NFL schedule and released a confident against-the-spread pick. Go to SportsLine to see it. Here are the NFL lines and trends for Patriots vs. Vikings:

  • Vikings vs. Patriots spread: Minnesota -2.5
  • Vikings vs. Patriots Over/Under: 42.5 points
  • Vikings vs. Patriots money line: Minnesota -145, New England +120
  • MIN: WR Justin Jefferson ranks second in the league in receiving yards (1,093)
  • NE: LB Matthew Judon leads the NFL in sacks (13)

Why the Vikings can cover

Receiver Justin Jefferson continues his record-setting start to his young career. Already a two-time Pro Bowler, Jefferson has 4,109 career receiving yards in just his third season, the third-most in NFL history. He needs just 55 yards by the end of the season to pass Randy Moss (4,163) for the most receiving yards through a player's third season in NFL history.

In addition, Minnesota faces a New England offense that may be without a key starter. Center and team captain David Andrews is questionable for Thursday with a significant thigh injury he incurred on Sunday against the Jets. His absence would be a setback for a team playing in a loud road environment. See which team to pick here.

Why the Patriots can cover

The New England pass rush has a strong matchup against Minnesota's offense. The Patriots rank second in the NFL in sacks (36), behind only the Cowboys (42). Last week, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked a career-high seven times by Dallas in a 40-3 loss.

In addition, receiver Jakobi Meyers is having the best season of his young career. The 26-year-old has three receiving touchdowns this season, including two in the past four games, which is more than he had coming into the season (two). He also is averaging a career-high 63.6 receiving yards per game. See which team to pick here.

How to make Vikings vs. Patriots picks

White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's sharing it only at SportsLine.

Who wins Patriots vs. Vikings as part of the NFL Thanksgiving Day schedule 2022? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Patriots vs. Vikings spread you should jump on, all from the NFL expert who's a commanding 52-28 on picks involving Minnesota.