Mike Zimmer-led Minnesota Vikings are NFL’s best bet

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer works the field during a joint NFL football practice with the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Cincinnati. (John Minchillo/AP)

It’s about time to acknowledge Mike Zimmer is one of the elite coaches in the NFL. He has not arrived yet, because he still has not won a playoff game, but he’s definitely headed in the right direction.

Zimmer has turned the Minnesota Vikings into the league’s best bet. The Vikings are 17-2 against the spread since early in the 2015 season, which means they are far surpassing the expectations of oddsmakers.

A season after winning the NFC North, Minnesota has opened 3-0 despite losing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and running back Adrian Peterson to injuries. Zimmer is showing an important ability to adjust on the fly.

The Vikings are 4½-point home favorites over the New York Giants on Monday night. The total is 42½. This is a familiar line: Most public bettors are siding with the favorite, and most sharps are on the underdog. The line opened at 4 and briefly moved to 5.

“The (sharps) took 5 and 4½, moving the game to 4, but the public action has laid 4 with the Vikings,” CG Technology sports book director Jason Simbal said. “Also, a lot of parlay liability left over from Sunday has moved the game back up to 4½.”

The Vikings are 2-0 with Sam Bradford as their starting quarterback. Bradford has completed 67.8 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Avoiding costly mistakes will be Bradford’s priority against the Giants.

Eli Manning has endured difficult times against Minnesota, going 2-5 as a starter against the Vikings while totaling five touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. The Giants are riddled by injuries at the running back position, and Manning is facing a Zimmer-designed defense that compiled eight sacks and three interceptions against Carolina’s Cam Newton last week.

“There’s no reason to bet against this Minnesota team on this impressive ATS run,” said handicapper Alex B. Smith, who noted the Vikings have covered nine of their past 10 as favorites.

The Vikings pummeled Manning and the Giants 49-17 in Minneapolis in December.

Every strong trend eventually comes to an end, and the point spread is supposed to be an equalizer, but backing Vikings has been working at the betting windows.

Pick: Vikings -4½

Contact sports betting reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow on Twitter: @mattyoumans247