Steelers defense, ragged turf could derail Vikings

The Brett Favre phenomenon has reached such ridiculous proportions that we'll all probably answer the door on Halloween and be handing over candy to a pack of little purple No. 4s.

But it's Favre who is facing a scary predicament today. The unbeaten Minnesota Vikings are 51/2-point underdogs at Pittsburgh.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants' send-out line was 31/2, but heavy wagering support for the Steelers has pushed the number to 6 at some sports books.

The Vikings are a solid team that has been blessed with luck throughout a six-game winning streak. San Francisco had Minnesota dead to rights in Week 3, and last week Baltimore missed a potential winning field-goal attempt.

Favre has been sensational. He has protected the ball and capitalized on the advantageous matchups that running back Adrian Peterson's presence provides. So far, so good for Favre. But today might be different.

The Steelers' do-everything safety, Troy Polamalu, will be flying around in the secondary like his hair is on fire, which could make for a haunting afternoon for the Vikings.

LVSC odds director Tony Sinisi is quick to praise Favre's efforts to this point, but he said significant hurdles are on the horizon.

"Specifically this week, Pittsburgh will likely take Favre's security blanket away from him," Sinisi said, referring to Peterson. "The Steelers have not allowed 100 yards to a running back in 24 regular-season games. Favre will have to shoulder the load for four quarters."

The total is 451/2, and another element to consider is a significant portion of the grass surface at Heinz Field was replaced last week. The main areas that were resodded were between the hash marks, and the field was used Saturday for the South Florida-Pittsburgh college game.

From soft grass to overseas, our British ancestors are rolling out the red carpet for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. We should hope coach Bill Belichick's glowing personality doesn't offend an ally.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 15-point underdogs, are offered as sacrificial lambs in this spot. The total of 45 is intriguing for the game at Wembley Stadium.

Two years ago in a quagmire, the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins, 13-10. Last season, with the playing field concerns addressed by the NFL, two of the league's most potent offenses, New Orleans and San Diego, combined for 69 points.

Rain should not be a factor for the early-evening kickoff, but winds of 20 to 25 mph are forecast.

"We had an 'under' lean in our thought process when it came to making the total for this game," LVSC oddsmaker Dan O'Brien said. "We took the potential field concerns, weather, travel and the Bucs' woeful offense into account."

San Francisco visits Houston, a 3-point favorite, in a clash of teams that seem ready to take the next step beyond respectability.

The Texans' offense is capable of a quick strike anywhere on the field. But Houston lacks consistency. From one week to the next, you don't know what you're going to get.

Intense 49ers coach Mike Singletary has infused discipline and accountability to a team that needed it, and San Francisco might get another boost when rookie receiver Michael Crabtree finally takes the field.

Crabtree's moronic holdout is a thing of the past, and, at Singletary's urging, the wideout has been welcomed with open arms to avoid any mid-stream distraction.

Keep an eye on line moves in the Indianapolis-St. Louis and Green Bay-Cleveland games. The send-out on the Colts was 111/2, and the number is now 14. The Packers opened as 7-point favorites, and the line has hit 91/2.

Brian Blessing, project manager for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, can be reached at bblessing@lvsc.com. Listen to the LVSC oddsmakers on "Sportsbook Radio," weekdays at 3 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM) and Sirius 98.