The San Francisco 49ers open up the NFL season tonight by hosting the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. The game is scheduled for a 10:15 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Vikings favored by a couple of points on the road.

The 49ers begin their quest without Jim Harbaugh taking on the Minnesota Vikings. Many believe the Vikings could be a playoff-type team this year and double digit wins seem to be on the potential horizon. Picking up a win on the road tonight would certainly be a good start for them.

Minnesota has a solid quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, a youngster that really flourished last season. Bridgewater probably could have had a better season had Adrian Peterson been on the team, now that becomes a reality. Peterson is back from his suspension this year to lead the Vikings and it's no secret that Peterson has been a menacing running back during his career. Even without him the Vikings covered the number in five of their last six games last year, really showing their improvement under head coach Mike Zimmer.

San Francisco has lost so much from last year's team, it's tough to gauge what kind of team they will be. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has proven he can win games with his arm and his legs, the combination is what the 49ers are going to count on this season. The offensive line isn't what it used to be and bruising tailback Frank Gore left for Indianapolis. Carlos Hyde will be taking the bulk of the carries now, though Reggie Bush is now playing for them as well.

Kaepernick still has some weapons with Anquan Boldin, Vernon Davis and Torrey Smith out there on the field, but the 49ers have been too inconsistent to have faith in heading into this one. The defense has lost a ton of players and to this point, Minnesota looks like the better overall team. 

With Peterson getting a ton of carries and Bridgewater getting better, the Vikings are looking solid coming into tonight. Their defense will be a big factor tonight, putting pressure on Kaepernick.

Free Pick: Vikings

$25 of picks FREE! No Obligation - No Credit Card Required - Becoming a member is Fast and Free! 

Stay on top of the latest odds and line moves for MLB Season with our real-time odds from Las Vegas and offshore!