Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers Betting Odds, Analysis, NFL Pick

The Carolina Panthers (1-1) will try to extend their home winning streak to 15 games—including the postseason—when they host the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings (2-0) as solid favorites Sunday.

The Panthers went a perfect 8-0 straight up at Bank of America Stadium during the regular season last year, and they have covered the spread in their last seven there overall along with 10 of their past 12 games.

Point spread: The Panthers opened as 6.5-point favorites; the total was 43 early in the week, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

NFL pick, via Odds Shark computer: 23.4-15.4 Panthers (NFL picks on every game)

Why the Vikings can cover the spread

The Vikings have been an outstanding team against the spread under head coach Mike Zimmer, covering 16 of their last 18, including seven in a row as well, according to the Odds Shark NFL Database. They have been underdogs in their last three games dating back to last year's playoffs and won two of them, both coming this season.

New quarterback Sam Bradford had an impressive debut in Minnesota as the team opened its new stadium on Sunday night, throwing for 286 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 17-14 win over the Green Bay Packers as one-point underdogs. That resulted in the Vikings' odds to win Super Bowl 51 showing an improvement this week.

Why the Panthers can cover the spread

Carolina has the best home-field advantage in the NFL and was the only team to not lose a home game last year. While some of the games early last season were close there, the Panthers have dominated opponents on their home turf since last November 8.

They are coming off a 46-27 rout of the San Francisco 49ers last week in which they covered easily as 12.5-point favorites behind reigning league MVP Cam Newton, who bounced back from a tough opening-week loss to the Denver Broncos by throwing for 353 yards and four touchdowns and running for 37 more yards on six carries.

Smart pick

The Vikings are expected to be without running back Adrian Peterson after he tore the meniscus in his right knee against the Packers, putting extra pressure on Bradford to make plays in the passing game.

That will be difficult to do versus the Carolina defense on the road, as the visiting team has dropped five of the past seven meetings in the series both SU and ATS. Take the Panthers to cover their eighth straight at home.

Betting trends

The visiting team is 2-5 SU and ATS in its last seven games in this matchup.

The Panthers are 14-0 SU in their last 14 games at home.

The Vikings are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games after a win.

All NFL betting lines and point spreads data courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and Odds Shark YouTube for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.