The Falcons are currently 4-point underdogs for their Week 1 matchup with the Vikings, but it’s not because Vegas thinks they are a bad team. Atlanta must travel to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis — one of the NFL’s loudest venues — to take on a ferocious Vikings defense with two rookies protecting franchise quarterback Matt Ryan.
It’ll be tough, but here are four keys for the Falcons to take down Minnesota in their season opener, which kicks off at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Protect QB Matt Ryan
Publicly, Matt Ryan will always say the right thing. Privately, however, he may be just a tad worried about having three new starters protecting him against an elite Vikings defensive line. Atlanta’s offense couldn’t get anything going the last time these two faced off, but they invested in this line for a reason. Veteran Falcons offensive linemen Alex Mack and Jake Matthews will need to be at their absolute best, especially if rookies Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary struggle.
2. Spread out the Vikings defense
The best way for Atlanta to offset Minnesota’s aggressive front-seven is to spread them out and utilize their weapons in space. There’s no shortage of offensive firepower for the Falcons with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Mohamed Sanu and Austin Hooper. Productive games from running backs Devonta Freeman and Ito Smith would also help slow down that Vikings pass rush. Dan Quinn wants to run the ball, but this may be the week to use the short-passing game to set up the run later on. Either way, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will need to be creative.
3. Contain Vikings RB Dalvin Cook
Dalvin Cook has been slowed by injuries, but he’s one of the fastest, most explosive backs in the league when he’s healthy. Some might even compare him to Devonta Freeman, who’s been an inspiration for Cook. The Falcons don’t have the biggest defense in the NFL, but they have the sideline-to-sideline speed to contain Cook as long as they can tackle him. Middle linebacker Deion Jones going against Cook will be one of the key matchups to watch on Sunday.
4. Falcons DL must tee off on Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins isn’t as bad as some in the national media make him out to be. In fact, last season his numbers were relatively respectable. He completed 70.1 percent of his passes and threw for 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 99.7. However, he’s prone to make errors and the more you pressure him, the more likely they become. The team’s top edge rushers Takk McKinley and Vic Beasley have a prime opportunity to impact the game by forcing Cousins into making mistakes.
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