NFL Free Picks Vikings @ Falcons, Texans @ Jaguars, Cardinals @ Rams

Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons (-9.5)
I can definitely see the Vikings coming to play in Atlanta and sticking right with the Falcons. There’s no doubt that Minnesota can play up and down, they’ve done it and they’ll continue to do it because they are a talented football team with gamebreakers on both sides of the ball. That being said, the Falcons are pretty dang good against the run, and the Vikings are a run first team missing a guy that is quite possibly the best running back in the league. Adrian Peterson is out for Sundays’ game, leaving Toby Gerhart and Percy Harvin to act as running backs for the Vikings. I just don’t think the Vikings will be able to take advantage of the Falcons’ shortcomings in the secondary – so I give this one to Atlanta by double digits.

Houston Texans (-3) @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Matt Schaub is a good quarterback. I have always believed that, even since his back-up days in Atlanta – I thought this guy would be legit. But I’m not so sure the Texans lose as much as everyone thinks with Schaub out. I know Matt Leinart is a bit of a pretty boy softy, but he’s an accurate passer that knows the offense. He can hand off the ball very well, and he will enjoy the return of Andre Johnson to the Texans’ offense. I expect Houston to keep running like the stole something, and Matt Leinart to be steady and solid at quarterback.

Arizona Cardinals (+1.5) @ St. Louis Rams
The Cardinals have played pretty close football with just about every single opponent they’ve gone up against this season. San Francisco had their number last week and Minnesota smacked them around the second week of October – but besides that they’ve been right in just about every football game. I suspect them to be the better team in this one, even without Kevin Kolb at the helm.