posted June 16, 2008 at 17:26 EST in NFL Betting Trends

BetUS sportsbook betting NFL odds: Green Bay -3

NOTABLE STAT: Minnesota was first in rushing (164.6 ypg) and rushing defense (74.1 ypg) last year

KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Minnesota has covered seven of last eight in Green Bay

(For more useful stats and trends, visit our special Matchup Tool)

It's now the post-Brett Favre era, and the Green Bay Packers (13-3 SU, 12-3-1 ATS in 2007 regular season) will now try to make do with a new quarterback as they forge ahead, starting with an opening-night sports betting matchup against the Minnesota Vikings (8-8 SU, 7-7-2 ATS in 2007) in the first game of a Monday night double-header scheduled for 7 PM ET on September 8.

In the BetUS NFL betting odds, the Packers are a three-point home online betting favorite.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this NFL gambling matchup:

* MINN has won five of its last seven games SU

* MINN has covered four of its last six games

* MINN has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total

* GB has covered 16 of its last 22 games

* GB has won 17 of its last 21 games SU

* GB has played eight of its last nine games OVER the total

* GB has covered five of its last six home games

* GB has played its last five home games OVER the total

* GB has won seven of the last ten meetings SU

* MINN has covered 10 of the last 15 meetings

* Five of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total

* MINN has covered seven of the last eight meetings as the road team

Aaron Rodgers takes the reins with the Packers, which means that if you believe Brett Favre, who started over 250 consecutive games, was indeed the auteur of the Green Bay offense, this team has to start all over again. At least Rodgers will have starting wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings back, as well as Ryan Grant for a full season. Grant stepped in and gave Green Bay the running game what it didn't have before, running for 958 yards and over five yards per carry in the regular season, then dominating Seattle with 201 yards in a playoff game.

Grant did well against the Vikings last year, rambling for 119 yards in a 34-0 victory on November 11. But generally, Minnesota could be counted on to put a stop to opposition ground attacks, limiting them to less than three yards an attempt and only 74 yards a game. And that is where the strength of the Vikings lies - their ability to control the line of scrimmage, not just on the defensive side of the ball, but offensively as well, as Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor combined for 2185 yards last season. And one of the people who is going to be hassling Rodgers from the start is Jared Allen, the former Kansas City All-Pro who led the league in sacks last year.

Tarvaris Jackson has been much maligned, and in some cases, deservedly so (58%, but 9 TD's and 12 interceptions last year), but he has the experience edge over Rodgers in that he has at least had a full season under his belt as the starter. And last year's shutout win by the Packers at Lambeau was their first cover in eight tries against the Vikings at home.

We see better things from Minnesota this season, while Green Bay, which was relatively solid last year but still largely a product of what Favre could do, is going to have a problem adjusting to the new on-field helmsmanship. In this special look-ahead, we will take the points with the Vikes, the three-point underdog in the BetUS NFL football betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: MINNESOTA (+3) ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

The 2008 NFL betting season is coming, and if you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The BetUS sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of games, totals and propositions, and you will also find NFL future lines up for the Super Bowl as well. Join BetUS today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLII and beyond!

(Charles Jay of www.ebookies.com is a member of the NFL too - that is, "not for long" if you don't get results. He is now a regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room)