Mark Craig's Vikings-Steelers pick against the spread

December 8, 2021 at 8:39PM
Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks (Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Steelers (+3) at Vikings
This one requires a leap of faith in the NFL reversing course and making little sense from week to week, or, in this case, Sunday to Thursday. The Vikings just lost to the Lions. The Steelers just beat the Ravens. The Vikings are 4-7 in one-score games. The Steelers are 6-1-1 in one-score games. But … both are middle-of-the-pack teams with no consistency other than their wild inconsistency. In their last four games, the Steelers are 1-2-1 with a tie against Detroit and a 31-point loss at Cincinnati. They're also 2-3 on the road and give up a league-worst 4.8 yards per rush. The latter should help the Vikings slow Pittsburgh's pass rush. Defensively, getting Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks and Patrick Peterson back will help keep this sinking season afloat for at least another week. Vikings 23, Steelers 21

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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