Vikings vs Packers Picks & Predictions for Week 4: Jones Cooks in Return to Green Bay

After seven seasons with the Packers, Aaron Jones will return to Lambeau Field as a member of the Vikings in Week 4. He's been excellent to start the season and we expect that to continue on Sunday.

Tom Oldfield - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Tom Oldfield • Betting Analyst
Sep 28, 2024 • 10:15 ET • 4 min read

NFL

Match starts: 24 hrs
GB
38 %
MIN
62 %
EXPERT PICK - PROP
Aaron Jones o82.5  Rushing And Receiving Yards (-115) Aaron Jones o82.5 Rushing And Receiving Yards (-115)
Read Analysis
Aaron Jones Minnesota Vikings NFL
Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

With Sam Darnold off to a dream start, the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings are riding high heading into Sunday’s huge NFC North showdown against the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers are hopeful Jordan Love will be back under center as they chase a third straight win, but my Vikings vs. Packers predictions point to another Minnesota masterclass in Week 4.

A statement game from a former Green Bay fan favorite headlines my NFL picks for this Sunday, September 29, matchup.

Vikings vs Packers prediction

My best bet
Aaron Jones Over 82.5 rushing + receiving yards (-115 at BetMGM)

My analysis
In the build-up to this Week 4 clash, Aaron Jones has said all the right things about his love for the Green Bay fans and his years as a Packer, but make no mistake, he'll have circled this matchup as soon as the schedule was released.

After seven seasons as a member of the Green Bay Packers, Jones and the Packers couldn’t agree on a revised deal this offseason, and he ended up signing a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Now he’s walking into a golden opportunity to remind his old team just how much he’s still got in the tank.

Jones has had an immediate impact in Minnesota, breathing life into a backfield that was largely unwatchable in 2023. Suddenly, the Vikings look potent in the ground game and Jones is coming off a monster performance last weekend, where he turned 19 carries into 102 yards to go with five receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.

There’s every reason to expect big usage again here, and the 82.5 O/U line for Jones’ rushing + receiving yards feels low given his role in the offense.

The Packers have had mixed results against the run. They struggled to contain Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor in their first two outings of the year, and I’m not going to read too much into a better showing against the 0-3 Titans last weekend.

The threat of Justin Jefferson should prevent Green Bay from overloading the box, and I see the Vikings’ game plan skewing toward the run. Whether it’s Love or Malik Willis at the controls for the Packers, I don’t see the score getting out of hand, and Jones’ do-it-all skillset should keep him on the field regardless of the game script.

Jones has made no secret of wanting another Lambeau Leap this weekend, and I see him having plenty to celebrate on Sunday.

Vikings vs Packers same-game parlay

Aaron Jones Over 82.5 rushing + receiving yards

Vikings +2.5

Under 43.5

Sam Darnold has passed some big tests already this year, seeing off the 49ers and Texans in back-to-back weeks, and I’m sticking with Minnesota’s continuity rather than the in-flux quarterback situation in Green Bay. This spread surely assumes that Love is playing, but even if he gets the green light to return, how sharp and how mobile will he be? 

Minnesota arrives with good balance, a fierce defense, and a three-game win streak. That gives the visitors a narrow edge in my book.

The question marks around the Green Bay quarterback situation are also nudging me towards the Under for the third leg of my SGP. The Vikings have hit the Under in all three contests this season, and Brian Flores has this Minnesota defense firing on all cylinders.

The battle between Jefferson and Jaire Alexander is a must-see clash, but both teams may have to move the chains in the running game. In what feels like a classic divisional scrap, look for the defenses to have the last laugh.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Vikings vs Packers odds

Vikings vs Packers live odds

Vikings vs Packers opening odds

  • Spread: Minnesota -2 | Green Bay +2
  • Moneyline: Minnesota -130 | Green Bay +110
  • Over/Under: Over 39.5 | Under 39.5

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

Vikings vs Packers spread and Over/Under analysis

  • The Vikings are 13-7 SU and 13-7 ATS in their last 20 games, while the Packers are 12-10 SU in their past 22 contests.

  • Green Bay’s defense has seven interceptions already this season. Still, Kevin O’Connell’s play-calling will pose different challenges after the Packers faced Anthony Richardson and Will Levis in their last two games.

  • The Under is 6-4 in the past 10 meetings between these teams, including Minnesota’s 24-10 victory at Lambeau Field last season.

  • The Vikings have cashed in the fourth-quarter Under in 13 of their last 17 games.

Vikings vs Packers betting trend to know

The third quarter could be decisive. Green Bay has covered the third-quarter spread in 13 of its last 18 outings, while Minnesota is 8-1 ATS in the third quarter across its past nine road games. Find more NFL betting trends for Vikings vs. Packers.

Vikings vs Packers game info

Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Date: Sunday, 9-29, 2024
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

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Tom Oldfield - Covers
Betting Analyst

Tom Oldfield’s sports writing journey over the past 20 years has taken him from the Premier League and Champions League to the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB, with a wide range of articles and betting previews. Tom has worked closely with London’s Sportsbeat sports news agency as well as (thrillingly!) covering the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship run, and he has appeared on BBC World Service and The Back Page podcast.

A graduate of the University of Nottingham in the UK, he is the author of biographies on Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal, Gary Neville and Cesc Fabregas, and he co-authors a long-running series of children’s soccer books with his brother, Matt.

As a regular bettor across the top sports leagues, particularly with FanDuel and bet365, he is well versed on all the major markets and the next big game is rarely far from his thoughts. The best betting advice he has received is to monitor multiple sportsbooks to grab the best possible value.

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