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The first of three NFL London Games sees the Jets take on the Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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Jets vs Vikings is the only London fixture that doesn’t feature the presently 0-4 Jaguars.
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Sam Darnold looks to be the story of the day in this revenge game for the quarterback.
On 6 October, the NFL returns to the British capital to try to further enhance its presence across the pond. In what now looks to be the most high-calibre of the league’s international slate, the Jets will face the Vikings.
Before we delve into the NFL London game, there’s still a chance for readers to win tickets to the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Sunday. All you need to do is retweet the prize draw post on X.
Here’s a look at the leading storylines and odds for this NFL clash in Ol’ Blighty.
When Does NFL London Jets vs Vikings Start?
In the UK, Jets vs Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is scheduled to kick-off at 2:30 pm. It’ll be shown on ITV and via NFL Game Pass on DAZN.
Fans back in the United States could be in for an early start. On the East Coast, the game starts at 9:30 am, but on the West Coast, kick-off is set for 6:30 am.
While the players enjoy the trip and get to experience the London atmosphere around the game, coaches lament the travel and time zone switches required, but it’s all part of the deal to try to grow the league overseas.
Season So Far
The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the stories of the 2024 season so far. After losing their prized rookie quarterback, Sam Darnold has stepped up to guide them to 4-0 and rank as one of the best QBs in the NFL.
Statistically speaking, Darnold has been among the NFL’s lowest-ranking quarterbacks of the last six seasons, and yet, now that he’s in a functional team, he’s able to show the class that once made him a first-round pick.
Standing atop the crowded NFC North, last time out, the Vikings held back a determined and resurgent Green Bay Packers, seeing their 28-0 lead slip, but doing enough in the second half to secure a 31-29 win.
BetBuilder - Player TDs - J. Jefferson Score anytime (Game) And Player TDs - Jordan Addison Score anytime (Game) And Spread - Vikings -3.5 (Game)
On the other side of this NFL London game, the New York Jets will be looking to iron out the stutters endured by the offence from a grim 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Having Aaron Rogers for more than a few snaps was intended to propel the Jets to the playoffs, but with the ball, they’re still looking for their rhythm. At the very least, the defence has held up well so far.
Still, the Jets’ 2-2 record is keeping them in the AFC race for the playoffs, only trailing the Buffalo Bills by one win in the division while being on par with all other second-placed teams so far.
Jets vs Vikings Odds
It likely won’t come as a surprise that the undefeated Minnesota Vikings are the favourites in the NFL odds for this London game against the stop-start New York Jets.
Interestingly, the total points line is held in check at 40.5, and the Vikings only get a -2.5 on the spread, so there is, perhaps, an underlying suspicion that the Vikings will now get found out, and that playing abroad could cause that.
At the time of writing, the odds for the Jets vs Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 6 October are as follows:
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Spread: Jets +2.5 (1.909), Vikings -2.5 (1.909)
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Total: Over 40.5 (1.909), Under 40.5 (1.85)
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Moneyline: Jets (2.20), Vikings (1.70)
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Total Touchdowns: Over 4.5 (2.10), Under 4.5 (1.727)
How the Jets and Vikings Fare Overseas
The NFL International game schedule has been running since 2007. In that time, the New York Jets have come to London twice and the Minnesota Vikings have made the trip three times.
BetBuilder - Money line - Jets (Game) And Player stats - Aaron Jones over 49.5 Rushing yds (Game) And Player stats - Aaron Rodgers over 169.5 Passing yds (Game) And Total points - Over 40.5 (Game)
For the Jets, it’s been one win and one loss, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-14 at Wembley Stadium in 2015 but losing to the Atlanta Falcons 20-27 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021.
The Minnesota Vikings have won 34-27 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013 at Wembley, topped the Browns 33-16 at Twickenham in 2017, and they edged the New Orleans Saints 28-25 in Tottenham two years ago.
Rodgers vs Darnold
Aaron Rodgers is well-known for his clean passing, but in October, he hits another level. In the tenth month of the year, Rodgers has thrown 125 touchdowns throughout his career – the fourth-most in NFL history.
On top of this, the Jets slinger boasts a 106.9 passer rating in October, which surpasses those posted even by Tom Brady and Russell Wilson. So, while he’s elite-tier most of the time, this month, Rodgers kicks it up a notch.
This season, Darnold has cemented himself among the league’s best QBs to date, leading the league with 11 passing touchdowns and standing ninth in passing yards at 932.
Averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, only Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers is going for more big throws, and when he does go big gains, Darnold hits his target 70 per cent of the time.
This is a battle between a legendary quarterback trying to get his offence pumping – while likely rather banged up after taking 14 hits at a 40-years-old last week – and a surging QB staring down the team that cast him out.
In the sports betting lines, Rodgers has the higher marker for his passing yards at over/under 226.5 for odds of 1.833, while Darnold’s over is at 220.5 for the same odds. However, Darnold does get shorter odds for over 1.5 TDs.
A Rumble Worthy of Taking Abroad
It’d be fair to say that choosing the Jacksonville Jaguars as London’s team, as it were, doesn’t exactly showcase the best of what the NFL can offer. A matchup like the Jets vs Vikings, though, can certainly pack a punch.
The QB battle has a lot of heat behind it, and both will need to step up to get the better of the top-ranking defence on the other side of the trenches. Entering the game, they rank as the fourth and fifth most stingy Ds for points against.
As for the weapons on offence, Rodgers can lean on the talented backfield duo of Breece Hall and Braelon Allen on the ground and through the air, or fire his canon towards top targets Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard.
Darnold has a similarly versatile set of weapons. Aaron Jones is both the team’s top rusher and is second for receiving yards. Plus, the QB seeking revenge can target arguably the best receiver in the league, Justin Jefferson.
The NFL London game Jets vs Vikings has the makings of a top-class clash for British fans to enjoy, but as the markets open, it’s the Minnesota Vikings who’re the clear favourites to take a win home.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Adobe*
