WEEK 13: Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons Discussion
Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:42 am
Should be a good game!
Link Here.
Link Here.
The Minnesota Vikings (9-2) will travel to face the Atlanta Falcons (7-4) in Week 13, the second of three straight road games for Minnesota. The Vikings own a 4-1 road record, and the Falcons hold a 3-2 mark at home in 2017. The Vikings 9-2 start is the best start through 11 games for Minnesota since starting 10-1 in 2009. The Vikings currently have a seven-game winning streak, tied with New England for the second-best streak in the NFL and also the second-longest regular-season streak since Zimmer become head coach in 2014 (eight games from 12/20/15-10/9/16).
The Vikings offense, which ranks fifth in the NFL in yards per game (375.7), has been led by the consistent play from WR Adam Thielen, who is third in the NFL with 1,005 receiving yards and tied for fourth in the NFL with 70 receptions. QB Case Keenum has stepped in to start nine games, posting a 7-2 record and compiling 14 touchdowns, five interceptions and a career-best 96.2 passer rating. RBs Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray have filled the void left by rookie starting RB Dalvin Cook, helping the Vikings rush for 133.9 yards per game since Week 5, sixth in the NFL in that span. In the last five games, Murray has rushed for 399 yards (fourth in the NFL) and five touchdowns (tied for second in the NFL).
The Vikings defense has held opponents to 290.4 yards per game (fifth in the NFL) and 17.7 points per game (fifth in the NFL). The Vikings defense has limited opponents to 75.5 rushing yards per game (second in the NFL) and 3.3 yards per rush (third in the NFL).
DE Everson Griffen is tied for first in the NFL with 12 sacks this season, the third time in his career he has reached double digits (12 in 2014, 10.5 in 2015). LB Eric Kendricks, who has led the Vikings in tackles each of his first two seasons, is leading the Vikings with 97 tackles (coaches’ stats) and has tied his career high with 13 tackles on three separate occasions this season (at PIT, vs BAL, at CLE). S Harrison Smith has snagged a team-leading three interceptions this season, ranking tied for 10th in the NFL.
VIKINGS-FALCONS CONNECTIONS
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was the defensive coordinator for the Falcons for the 2007 season when the Falcons opened at Minnesota that year. Falcons tight ends coach Wade Harman spent the 1997 and ’98 seasons as a coaching assistant with the Vikings. Harman was with the Vikings when they lost to the Falcons in the 1998 NFC Championship Game after going 15-1 in the regular season. Vikings assistant defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon served as Atlanta’s defensive assistant/quality control coach in 2007. Falcons FB Derrick Coleman entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. Coleman was released by the Vikings during final cuts prior to the 2012 regular season.