Vikings vs. Falcons: Full Minnesota Game Preview

Coming off a humbling loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings will travel to the Georgia Dome to meet another playoff-hopeful NFC team in the Atlanta Falcons.

Minnesota holds an all-time record of 17-11 against Atlanta, but the Falcons likely own the biggest victory in this head-to-head matchup dating back to 1966—a 30-27 upset victory during the 1998 playoffs to stun a 15-1 Vikings team. 

Of course, that game will always be not-so-fondly remembered by fans as the one in which kicker Gary Anderson missed a 38-yard field goal attempt that likely would have sent Minnesota to the Super Bowl.

The Vikings' most recent matchup against the Falcons, however, left much more reason to cheer. Then-rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater made his first career start against Atlanta during Week 4 last season, leading his team to a decisive 41-28 win over the Matt Ryan-led Falcons.

Just one season later, both teams are back in playoff contention, with Minnesota (No. 5) and Atlanta (No. 6) currently seeded in Wild Card spots. However, the Vikings and Falcons are fresh off disappointing losses, with the former losing to a bitter rival and the latter suffering defeat at the hands of 40-year-old Matt Hasselbeck and the Indianapolis Colts.

This is simply a game both teams need to win, as the Vikings are looking to quickly move past their defeat to the Packers while the Falcons aim to end a current three-game losing streak. But, as everyone knows, only one of these standout NFC teams can leave with a victory.

Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Time: 12 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET

TV: Channel 9 Fox KMSP (Local)

Week 11 Results and Recap

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Minnesota suffered arguably its most disappointing loss of the year during Week 11, having been defeated 30-13 by the Green Bay Packers.

The Vikings finished the first quarter tied with the Packers by a score of 6-6. Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby drilled a pair of field goals and Teddy Bridgewater found tight end Kyle Rudolph for a 47-yard score.

However, Blair Walsh missed the ensuing extra point, which would have given the Vikings an outright lead through one 15-minute session.

Green Bay began to take hold of the game during the second quarter, adding yet another Crosby field goal and touchdown just before the end of the half. Aaron Rodgers found wide receiver Randall Cobb on a post in the middle of the end zone to give the Packers a 16-6 advantage.

Crosby hit on his fourth consecutive field goal attempt during the third quarter, but the Vikings bounced back to within striking distance on a six-yard touchdown by Adrian Peterson. This newfound hope did not last long, however, as Rodgers completed a 27-yard strike to James Jones in the right corner of the end zone.

Minnesota's last true chance to comeback fell by the wayside when the Packers recovered Peterson's sixth fumble of the season. Crosby added field goal number five, and Green Bay walked away victorious—pulling even with the Vikings at the top of the NFC North division.

NFC North Standings

Green Bay Packers (7-3)

Minnesota Vikings (7-3)

Chicago Bears (4-6)

Detroit Lions (3-7)

News and Notes

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Adrian Peterson Criticizes...Everyone?

Adrian Peterson made a point to vocalize his opinion following this past Sunday's loss to Green Bay.

According to Ben Goessling of ESPN, Peterson didn't shy away from calling out anyone—including the coaching staff.

"

"I think it's from the top to the bottom," Peterson said. "It's from the coaches on both sides and the players, as well. No matter what position we were in, we had calls, and we didn't execute on a lot of plays. It came back to hurt us. But it's the coaches' job to put us in the best position, as well."

"

The face of the Vikings franchise has never been shy about saying what he feels. Most recently, he took the unpopular side of defending St. Louis Rams cornerback LaMarcus Joyner following his hit on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

It's interesting that Peterson specifically called out the coaching staff, however, as this is the same group that vehemently defended him during his tumultuous offseason.

Certainly Mike Zimmer, Norv Turner and the rest of the staff deserve their fair share of the blame, but it is worth noting that Peterson criticized the game plan in a matchup that he only received 15 touches.

Danielle Hunter Evolving from Project to Player

When Minnesota selected defensive end Danielle Hunter during the third round this past draft, there were plenty of comments regarding his status as a "project". But, through 10 games, Hunter has provided much more production than that of a player with this title, as Lindsey Young outlined beautifully for Vikings Territory.

"Minnesota has plenty of excitement surrounding its team this season, heading into Week 12 with a 7-3 record and vying for a spot in the playoffs with a defensive-minded coach at the helm. Hunter is cementing himself as part of the Vikings future," she wrote.

Through eight games this season, including one start, Hunter has produced 13 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble for a Vikings team that will need to replace Brian Robison sooner rather than later as he continues to advance in age.

Offensive Line Taking its Share of the Blame

Minnesota's offensive line has been subpar this season, and that may be putting it kindly. While the unit had been playing much better throughout the latter portion of the Vikings' five-game winning streak, the front-five produced one of its worst performances of the season against the Packers in a critical matchup.

As Jason Gonzalez notes for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota's protection unit has expressed a willingness to accept its fair share of the blame for the offense's struggles this season.

"

“I thought we took the next step,” left guard Brandon Fusco said Sunday. “I thought we were getting better and [Sunday] we just didn’t play as a whole. “We had penalties to start [several] drives. … We weren’t physical enough against them. They had a good game plan of stunts and different looks and contain Adrian and make us one-dimensional.”

"

Fusco, who has been one of the leaders of a relatively inexperienced unit, did a great job of simplifying the Vikings' issues against the Packers. While he did help guide Peterson into the end zone, Fusco himself did not have a very strong performance this past Sunday.

Recognizing the issue is an important part of improving. But, if the Vikings are to reach the playoffs and have success during the postseason, the offense will need to do more than simply understand the problem—and it appeared that they were collectively getting better up until their showing against the Packers.

Bonus News and Notes

The following list is composed of articles containing general team information, updates and matchup-specific statistics related to Minnesota's Week 12 contest with Atlanta:

• Mike Zimmer: "Move on, and Quickly" — Chris Tomasson, Pioneer Press
• Brett Favre Among Five Hall Semifinalists with Ties to Minnesota — Mark Craig, Star Tribune
• Homework Keeps Vikings Learning — Mark Craig, Star Tribune
• Vikings Fail Under Bright Lights — Jim Souhan, Star Tribune
• Adrian Peterson Ties Worst Game Against Packers — Ben Goessling, ESPN
• Mike Wallace Not Producing as Envisioned — Ben Goessling, ESPN
• Vikings Arriving at Gut-Check Moment — Ben Goessling, ESPN
• Vikings Offensive Scheme Thoughts for Future — Warren Ludford, Daily Norseman
• Vikings Beat by ...Themselves? — CC Norseman, Daily Norseman
• Where do the Vikings Go from Here? — Christopher Gates, Daily Norseman
• Adrian Peterson's "Verbal Fumble" — Austin Belisle, NFC North Barroom
• Referees Called Out for Favoring Packers — Dan Zinski, The Viking Age

Latest Injury News

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Vikings Wednesday Injury Report (8)

Did Not Practice (2)

• FS Harrison Smith (Knee)
• DE Everson Griffen (Hip/Shoulder)

Limited Practice (3)

• SS Robert Blanton (Ankle)
• OT Matt Kalil (Toe)
• DT Sharrif Floyd (Ankle)

Full Practice (3)

• QB Teddy Bridgewater (Left Shoulder)
• LB Eric Kendricks (Ribs)
• LB Anthony Barr (Hand)

Key Injuries

FS Harrison Smith (Knee)

The Vikings Wednesday injury report was littered with key defensive players, but none more important than starting safety Harrison Smith. Smith did not practice at all on Wednesday and, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports, the All-Pro-caliber defender had a brace fit on his left knee.

However, as Brian Murphy of the Saint Paul Pioneer Press noted, Smith appears to have no intention of missing Sunday's game against the Falcons.

Losing Smith against Atlanta's vertical offense would be a major blow to Minnesota. But, as of Wednesday, it appears that he is preparing to play even if he is not at 100 percent health.

If he is unable to go, Robert Blanton—who also appeared on the injury report—seems like the most likely candidate to take his spot in the starting lineup.

DE Everson Griffen (Hip/Shoulder)

Everson Griffen was the other big-name Vikings defensive player to miss Wednesday's practice in its entirety. He, like Smith, headed directly to the locker room after stretching, according to Eric Oslund of VikingUpdate.com.

Griffen has missed one game already this season due to an illness. Under this circumstance, rookie Danielle Hunter started in his place. 

If Minnesota's top pass-rushing defensive linemen is unable to go, Hunter appears to be the logical replacement, but there have not been any major indications to assume Griffen won't be ready before this weekend.

Injury report information courtesy of Vikings.com.

Key Matchups

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

CB Xavier Rhodes vs. WR Julio Jones

It is no longer much of a secret that cornerback Xavier Rhodes is in the midst of an up-and-down year with the Vikings. As a whole, he has not played very well, save for a solid early-season performance against Calvin Johnson and a good overall day against a dynamic Denver Broncos receiving corps. 

With that said, Rhodes has been (mostly) in charge of the opposing team's top option week-in and week-out. The results have not been so bad either, as only James Jones (Week 11, 109 yards), Alshon Jeffery (Week 8, 116 yards) and Keenan Allen (Week 3, 133 yards) have topped the century—Rhodes also did not play the entire second half against San Diego.

Considering that Minnesota has also been forced to defend Calvin Johnson (twice), Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Randall Cobb, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, the Vikings could do a lot worse than Rhodes as their No. 1 cornerback.

Per standard, Rhodes will draw another top-tier No. 1 wide receiver this week against Atlanta, in arguably the league's best—Julio Jones. Despite having played a relatively short career to date, Jones will be a familiar adversary for Minnesota's top cover man.

In the midst of a similar slump to the one he finds himself in now, Rhodes went head-to-head with Jones last season. It was a minor do-or-die situation, too, as he had yet to be a consistent cornerback to that point in his career.

Rhodes' response was outstanding, as he held Jones (and Roddy White) to lackluster performances (relatively speaking)—especially while he was calling the shots.

According to Pro Football Focus, Rhodes was targeted 11 total times, allowing only five catches for a total of 66 yards with four pass defenses. Against Jones specifically, he held the Falcons' top option to two catches and 27 receiving yards on four targets.

Simply put, the Vikings will need a breakthrough performance from Rhodes again in Week 12 if they are to contain a high-octane Atlanta aerial attack.

WR Stefon Diggs vs. CB Desmond Trufant

It goes without saying that Minnesota's offense runs through Adrian Peterson, but Teddy Bridgewater has proven—whether fans want to believe it or not—that he can move the ball through the air. Yes, he does have a tendency to hold the ball too long and fails to pull the trigger at times, but he certainly has had little issue getting the ball to rookie wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

To date, Diggs is yet to have a game in which he finishes with fewer than 40 receiving yards, and his consistency is almost matched by his number of explosive performances. He has reached the 60-yard receiving plateau during five of seven games, crossing the 100-yard mark twice as well.

He will have another tough head-to-head matchup this weekend, however, as Diggs is set to match up with the quietly dominant Desmond Trufant. When listing true shutdown cornerbacks, Trufant's name rarely comes up in the conversation, but he is certainly deserving of the nod.

According to Pro Football Focus, Trufant has been targeted just 33 times this season and has allowed only 17 catches.

Diggs hasn't received a high number of chances in recent matchups—mostly due to Peterson running the show, literally—but he will certainly be asked to make a few plays on Sunday, and it won't be easy with one of the best in the business trailing him.

Vikings Offensive Line vs. Falcons Defensive Line

The Falcons defense has improved dramatically during Year 1 of the Dan Quinn regime. Trufant is unequivocally this unit's MVP, but the next group of players responsible for this improvement is all defensive linemen or edge-rushers.

Among the players the Vikings' abysmal offensive line will be forced to defend on Sunday are: Kroy Biermann, Jonathan Babineaux, Paul Soliai, Adrian Clayborn and Tyson Jackson. In addition, former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Ra'Shede Hageman as well as rookies Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett have each contributed positive snaps to this talented group of Falcons defenders.

Teddy Bridgewater needs to receive better protection, and Minnesota's matchup against Atlanta will not give the Vikings offensive line much time to dwell on its awful performance against the Packers.

Matchup X-Factors

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Vikings X-Factor of the Week: WR Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace has been a terrible acquisition for the Vikings to date. He has failed to make a handful of key catches, and he absolutely has not been the downfield threat many expected him to be.

This coming weekend, his counterpart, Stefon Diggs, will likely spend the entire game defended by cornerback Desmond Trufant, which has been a "no-go" for most teams this season.

The Vikings will likely have a much easier time getting Adrian Peterson going, but they will need to throw the ball to some degree—and this could be a lot given the Falcons' potential to put high point totals on the board.

Wallace needs to be better; he needs to earn his paycheck, and Sunday in Atlanta marks a perfect opportunity for him to break what is essentially a season-long slump.

Falcons X-Factor of the Week: DE Vic Beasley

Vic Beasley has done some good things for the Falcons during his rookie season, but he has not had the immediate impact many hoped he would have coming out of Clemson.

The 2015 No. 8 overall pick has tallied just two sacks to date, a much lower total than the potential double-digit number that many analysts suggested as a projection.

With a chance to square off against one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, Beasley could be in store for a multi-sack performance. Given that he isn't Atlanta's only pass-rushing weapon, the Vikings cannot afford to let the rookie have a breakout performance against them.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Falcons 20

Ben Margot/Associated Press

The Vikings have had a chance to respond to losses twice already this season. In both cases, Minnesota has returned to the field upbeat with a short memory, coming away with a pair of victories over the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs.

Both of the aforementioned "comeback victories" came at home, however, meaning the Vikings will face a familiar but different animal on Sunday in Atlanta.

Minnesota squared off with a team riding a three-game losing streak last week, and it did not go very well. This, however, was more a product of the Packers correcting its flaws than the Vikings not being prepared or playing overconfidently.

Expect Mike Zimmer's team to come out with the same fire it did following its previous pair of losses against a Falcons team that is not as sure of a bet to fix its issues as the Packers.

The Vikings will need to play a great game, and the final score should be close, but this appears to be a very winnable game for the Purple and Gold.

Statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference, unless otherwise noted.

For more Vikings news, statistics and discussion, find me on Twitter @RobertReidellBT.