Ala Hann Sport picks

The betting world rejoices as the NFL regular season is ready to open. After a week of only having NCAA football betting available, NFL fans are ready to start with the NFL betting immediately.

The preseason was interesting, and we got a chance to see what the top teams in the NFC have to offer. Considering the season they had last year, the Minnesota Vikings do not appear to be impressing anyone that makes the NFL football betting lines. There is a big reason why the New Orleans Saints are four and a half point favorites in this game. Just like Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings are not what they used to be.

The Vikings only have one functioning starting wide receiver in Bernard Berrian. Receivers Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice are both sidelined with health issues. Harvin announced that he no longer gets the migraine headaches that kept him out of the preseason, but he missed the preseason conditioning and timing drills. Quarterback Brett Favre is still complaining about his ankle and the distractions being caused by Favre’s apparent lack of respect for his head coach are becoming evident.

The Saints, on the other hand, are pretty much the same team that won the Super Bowl last season. They still possess the single most potent offense in the NFL, and when their defense is healthy they can stand toe-to-toe with any NFL team. A hobbled Brett Favre will make a tempting target for Saints pass rushers like Will Smith and Jimmy Wilkerson. If the Saints can get into the Minnesota backfield on a consistent basis then this will be a short game for the Vikings.

Running back Adrian Peterson had an uneventful preseason, but as long as Favre is limping around and the receivers are out, Peterson is the Minnesota offense. The problem is that head coach Brad Childress has almost no say in the offense when Favre is on the field, and Favre is not a fan of a prominent running game.

Saints running back Reggie Bush started to show some unexpected power in the preseason, and that adds yet another angle to the Saints offense that defensive coordinators will have to watch for. If the Vikings have any weakness on defense it is up the middle at linebacker. That is probably where the Saints running game will go.

The Saints have been working on refining all aspects of their game this preseason and that includes special teams. Kicker Garrett Hartley won the job in camp and, after not playing much in 2009 it looks like he will be the only kicker on the Saints roster this season. Anyone that watched Super Bowl XLIV knows how much special teams means to the Saints. It won them the Super Bowl.

After all the drama created by Brett Favre and the Vikings this summer the simple fact is that the Vikings offense is a shell of what it was last year. Favre has worked with less and won, but that was many years ago when he was younger and healthier.

Pick: New Orleans Saints 27-20