Where has this team been?
The Falcons, in the first game of the post-Dan Quinn era, put together a gem of a game as they routed the Minnesota Vikings, 40-23, on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The Falcons built big lead, but this time they held on to improve to 1-5 on the season. The Vikings dropped to 1-5. In the second game of the season the Falcons blew a 20-0 lead in a 40-39 loss to Dallas and coughed up a 15-point fourth-quarter against Chicago in Game 3.
Falcons interim coach Raheem Morris had several meetings with the team last week and demanded that they play better after Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff were fired last Sunday.
With star wide receiver Julio Jones back from a hamstring injury, the offense took advantage of a turnover on Minnesota's first play from scrimmage. With Jones helping the offense, the Falcons converted three interceptions into 17 points as they built a 20-0 halftime lead. They built a 33-7 lead before Minnesota added a couple of garbage-time touchdowns.
The defense, which was giving up 446 yards per game and was ranked 31st of 32 in the league, held the Vikings to 215 total yards midway through the fourth quarter. Two late touchdown drives pushed the total to 365 yards.
The Vikings were playing without running back Dalvin Cook, who entered Sunday as the league's top rusher.
Here are the five things we learned from the win:
1. The return of the mack: With Jones hampered by a hamstring injury for most of the season, the Falcons offense sputtered. He finished with eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
Before Matt Ryan tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones on the first possession, he had not thrown a touchdown pass over the past 11 quarters, the longest drought of his career.
Jones added a 40-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter to push him over 100 yards receiving for the 57th time of his career.
Jones has had an up-and-down season. He had nine catches for 157 yards in the season opener against Seattle. He was slowed against Dallas and was used as a decoy. He caught two passes for 24 yards and dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass from wide receiver Russell Gage on a gadget play.
Jones didn't play against the Chicago Bears and left the game after the first half against Green Bay. He caught four passes for 32 yards against the Packers, but did not play in the second half.
He didn't play against Carolina in the fifth game of the season.
2. Run-and-hit crew. Morris had a meeting with key players on the defense and demanded that they start running and hitting better.
Safety Keanu Neal, linebacker Foye Oluokun and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett took the message to heart and had key hits.
The Falcons also had a sack and seven quarterback hits.
3. Three interceptions. The Falcons entered the game with just two interceptions this season. They had three by halftime.
On Minnesota's first play from scrimmage, linebacker Deion Jones intercepted a Kirk Cousins pass intended for rookie Justin Jefferson and returned it to the Vikings' 29-yard line.
Cornerback A.J. Terrell jumped another Jefferson route and got the second interception in the second quarter.
Oluokun made the third interception after defensive end Jacob Tuioti-Mariner tipped a Cousins' pass last in the seconds half.
The Falcons turned Deion Jones' interception into an 11-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones.
After Terrell's pick, Ryan connected with Calvin Ridley for a 8-yard touchdown to make it 17-0.
Oluokun's pick was converted into a 21-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo to make it 20-0 at half.
Koo also made a 50-yard field on the Falcons' second possession of the game.
4. Return game. Returner Brandon Powell broke loose for a season-high 22-yard return to set the Falcons up at their 45-yard line late in the first quarter.
The ensuing drive stalled when running back Brian Hill fumbled and Minnesota linebacker Eric Wilson recovered. The ball was poked out by Minnesota rookie cornerback Jeff Gladney.
Powell later fumbled on the kickoff return to start the third quarter. Rookie linebacker Mykal Walker recovered the ball.
5. Ryan was on target. With the Falcons sticking with the run game, Ryan was able to use play-action.
Ryan completed passes to nine receivers.
Ryan completed 30 of 40 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns. He finished with a passer rating of 136.6.6, his highest of the season. His previous high passer rating was 126.3 in the loss to Dallas.
