Without Brett Favre in a Purple No. 4, the Odds Are Stacked Against the Vikings

The Venetian has released their list of 2009 win predictions for all 32 NFL teams: 

NFC

North            East                South                 West

Vikings 8.5    Giants 10.5       Saints 8.5            Cardinals 9

Packers 8.5   Cowboys 9.5      Panthers 8.5        Seahawks 7.5

Bears 8         Eagles 9            Falcons 8             49ers 7

Lions 5          Redskins 8        Buccaneers 6.5     Rams 5

AFC

North            East                South                 West

Steelers 11     Patriots 12      Colts 10.5           Chargers 10.5

Ravens 8.5     Dolphins 8       Titans 8.5           Broncos 7.5

Browns 6.5     Jets 8              Texans 8            Chiefs 5.5

Bengals 5.5    Bills 7.5           Jaguars 8            Raiders 5.5

The oddsmaker predicts a very tight race in the NFC North between the Vikings, Packers, and Bears.  

The Giants, Cowboys, and Eagles are favored in the NFC, while the Patriots, Steelers, Colts, and Chargers are favored in the AFC.

The National Sports Advisors provides the following live NFL betting odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 

Patriots         +450

Steelers        +800

Giants           +1000

Cowboys       +1000

Colts             +1200

Chargers       +1400

Eagles           +1500

Vikings          +1500

Bears            +1500

Titans            +1600

But oddsmakers are already getting increased action on the Minnesota Vikings to win the Super Bowl due to the perception Brett Favre will join the Super Bowl-ready team lacking a starting quarterback.   

Sportsbook.com spokesman Dave Staley said, “It seems like the betting world thinks this will go down.”  

Mike Seba, an oddsmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, says based on public perception, his company would lower the Vikings’ Super Bowl odds if the team did indeed sign Favre.

Stephen Nover of VegasInsider.com claims, “If healthy, the guy still can play at a high level. The Vikings and Favre would be a perfect match.”

He explains, “Certainly Favre would be an upgrade on [Sage] Rosenfels, a poor man’s Favre with a gunslinger style and aptitude for crucial turnovers, and the hopelessly inaccurate Tarvaris Jackson."

He concludes that Favre could take the Vikings to the Super Bowl if he sacrificed his game to play like John Elway did during his two final seasons. That would mean limiting his role on offense and letting Adrian Peterson be the main man, similar to what Elway did for Terrell Davis.

Not everybody agrees. Rick Spielman, the Vikings' vice president of player personnel, is a Rosenfels guy.

But Vikings head coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, a former Green Bay Packers quarterback assistant, want Favre.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has the final say. But Nover says Childress will convince him that Favre can help sell seats and get a new stadium with all the publicity and theatrics he brings.

Third string quarterback John David Booty may be relegated to the practice squad, although the Pioneer Press has suggested Tarvaris Jackson could be traded instead. Regardless, Booty should be prepared to give up his No. 4 jersey. 

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