Vikings vs. Falcons: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings returned to the win column on Sunday, defeating the Atlanta Falcons by a final score of 20-10.

Following a pair of punts, Minnesota opened the scoring with a 13-play, 78-yard touchdown drive. Adrian Peterson punched it in for six points on a one-yard rush attempt to give the Vikings an early 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing Atlanta possession, running back Tevin Coleman broke free on a long rush attempt. Anthony Barr chased Coleman down 46 yards from the line of scrimmage and punched the ball loose, which allowed Antone Exum to make the recovery for a Vikings turnover.

Minnesota's ability to create turnovers played a major role in its victory on Sunday, with arguably the biggest of the three coming during the third quarter. Terence Newman picked off Matt Ryan in the back of the end zone, keeping the Vikings' 7-3 lead safe for the time being.

After missing earlier in the game, Blair Walsh converted a pair of field goals to open up a two-score advantage for Minnesota.

Peterson then broke loose on a 35-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter to secure the Vikings' win. Atlanta added a Nick Williams touchdown with time becoming scarce to reach the game's final score.

Teddy Bridgewater finished 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) for 174 passing yards and one interception. Peterson carried 29 times for 158 yards and a pair of scores while also adding two catches and 29 receiving yards. Kyle Rudolph led Minnesota's pass-catchers with seven receptions and 53 receiving yards.

Robert Blanton, who replaced Andrew Sendejo early in the game, led the team with nine combined tackles. Barr added eight tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles. Captain Munnerlyn and Newman also added an interception apiece.

Position Grades for Vikings

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Position Grades

Quarterback: B

Teddy Bridgewater did a fine job of managing the game on Sunday. With exception to his interception on a deep attempt to Kyle Rudolph, he was accurate and decisive throughout the afternoon. The Vikings also converted on third down at a 58.3 percent rate, showing he performed well as a situational passer.

Running Back: A

Adrian Peterson was explosive once again for the Vikings. He allowed Minnesota to control time of possession with consistency while also breaking off multiple 10-plus rush attempts. The Vikings continue to win and lose based on how Peterson performs.

Wide Receivers: B

There was not a whole lot asked of Minnesota's wide receivers on Sunday, but they performed fairly well when called upon. Stefon Diggs caught four balls for 31 yards to lead the unit, but Mike Wallace drew a key pass interference penalty on third down in the red zone for arguably the biggest play by this group on Sunday. Jarius Wright also added a pair of catches, one of which went for a key first-down conversion.

Tight Ends: B

Kyle Rudolph followed up a career day against the Green Bay Packers with another very solid performance, and he is beginning to look like the tight end Minnesota envisioned when he was drafted. Rhett Ellison chipped in a strong performance, including a 23-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass.

Offensive Line: B

The offensive line was much better against Atlanta this week. After giving up six sacks against the Packers during Week 11, the unit did not allow Bridgewater to be taken down once against the Falcons. It was an impressive overall performance and one that was needed for the Vikings front-five, but there is certainly still room for improvement.

Defensive Line: B

On the other side of the ball, the defensive line was a bit stagnant early on. Minnesota's front four allowed Tevin Coleman to run well consistently during the first half, but the unit played much better late in the game against the run and Everson Griffen added to his sack total, as well.

Linebackers: A

Anthony Barr was outstanding for the middle level of the Vikings defense, flying around to make plays all over the field. Eric Kendricks also continues to improve his efficiency as a tackler and in coverage, bolstering this unit as one of the best young linebacking groups in the NFL.

Defensive Backs: A

Minnesota's defensive backs were the true heroes on Sunday. Xavier Rhodes did an outstanding job against Julio Jones, and Antone Exum played exceptional in relief of the injured Harrison Smith. Terence Newman and Captain Munnerlyn both intercepted Matt Ryan, as well, capping off a big day for the Vikings secondary.

Special Teams: C

It was a very average day for the Vikings special team unit, and that is reflected in the grade. Blair Walsh wasn't perfect, converting only two of three field goal attempts, and Jeff Locke was merely sufficient. Cordarrelle Patterson never had a chance on a kick return, and Marcus Sherels did not do much on punt return due to good coverage by Atlanta.

This unit didn't hurt the Vikings' chances of winning, but it did not help much, either.

Coaching: A

The Vikings' coaching was outstanding from start to finish on Sunday afternoon, with only one play really being questionable. Late in the game while holding the lead, Norv Turner elected to run the ball on 3rd-and-5 with Matt Asiata. Minnesota went on to kick a field goal, showing that the coaching staff was playing more conservatively during the second half.

It would have been nice to see Turner let Bridgewater drop back and attempt an intermediate pass attempt to try to move the chains—or at least run the ball with Peterson—but the call did not hurt the Vikings. This may be something to monitor moving forward, however.

Antone Exum Steps Up

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When Harrison Smith was ruled out for the Vikings with a knee injury on Saturday, it became clear that Exum was going to get his first start—and he did not disappoint.

Exum finished his game against the Falcons with three tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.

"It's a testament to his preparation and his work," Anthony Barr said of Exum's performance (Vikings.com). "He didn't blink, he had his number called and he came in and stepped up, and it's going to be good for us later in the season, when someone goes down, we know we can count on him."

The second-year safety out of Virginia Tech even had a Smith-like moment during the second half, breaking through a line of Atlanta blockers to make a big tackle for loss. He consistently appeared to know where he needed to be, something he had been knocked for earlier in the season when asked why he had not been given an opportunity to start yet.

Mike Zimmer echoed these thoughts during his postgame press conference (Vikings.com):

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It's hard for me to see everything, but for the most part, I thought he did things correctly. He didn't seem to be out of position very much. When I look at the pictures and we talk about things on the sideline, and for the most part, he was in good position. It was good to see.

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Exum may have played himself into a starting role, as Sendejo was injured and Zimmer did not express a timetable for return during his presser. The fans who have longed to see Smith and Exum playing deep for the Vikings may finally get the chance when Minnesota takes on Seattle during Week 13.

Anthony Barr Leads Strong Defensive Performance

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Barr was all over the field on Sunday, making multiple huge plays during a solid day for the Vikings defense.

The first of such plays came late in the first quarter, when Barr showed off his outstanding speed to track down Tevin Coleman 40-plus yards downfield and force a fumble.

"You see him break free, I was trailing him," Barr said. "He was carrying the ball a little loose so I just tried to make a play."

Later during the second half, Barr sealed the game with a sack of Ryan on fourth down, coming free on a blitz to take the Falcons quarterback down. It was yet another monster play for the young linebacker, one of many that has drawn praise from his head coach.

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"Anthony is a special player, he's a special kid," Zimmer said. "I think that as he continues to play, he's going to be even better. I really think the sky is the limit for the guy, there are so many things you can do with him. He's been limited the last couple of weeks because of the hand. Today we decided we would let him loose a little bit more; that was good. I just think he has a very bright future. He could be a tremendous football player."

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It has become very clear that Barr is a tone-setter on the Vikings' vastly improved defense. He seemingly improves every single week and may very well become the next big name in a long line of outstanding Minnesota defensive players throughout team history.

"He's a guy that can ruin a lot of things for the offense," Zimmer later noted.

Also, he did put together his performance against the Falcons with a broken hand. Scary stuff.

Mike Zimmer: "It Was Important to Win This Week"

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The Vikings lost a tough one against the Packers last week, and Zimmer was very clear about his expectations for his team this week. He consistently noted the importance of getting past the divisional loss quickly, and this was reflected during his postgame press conference.

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It was important to win this week, regardless of what happened last week. This was a big game for us because we basically have a six-game season now. We go on the road, we have guys injured and I don't know why, but this was a very important game for me to come back, fight, scratch. To get to 8-3, it was big.

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It is no secret that Zimmer hates losing—potentially more than he enjoys winning. Sunday's game against the Falcons had the potential to be a swing game for a Minnesota team that had reached a fork in the road, and the Vikings passed the test once again.

With all the scrutiny Minnesota has faced throughout the year, it was important for this team to come out and prove it can win games against other playoff contenders. While there are still plenty of games left in the season, this is the type of win that could prove to be a difference later in the year, as both of these teams could be fighting for a playoff spot depending on their respective December performances.

It's easy to see why Zimmer put an emphasis on winning this game, and the Vikings once again proved their doubters wrong with a big road victory over a contending Falcons team.

Anthony Barr: "I Still Got January 3 Circled on My Calendar"

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The Vikings may have moved past their loss to the Packers on the field, but at least one player is still thinking about when the two teams meet again in early January.

"I still got January 3 circled on my calendar," Anthony Barr said, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

For those unfamiliar with Minnesota's schedule, the Vikings will travel to Lambeau Field to meet Green Bay on January 3 in Week 17.

Based on the way things are beginning to shape up for Minnesota this season, its Week 17 matchup could end up determining which team is crowned champion of the NFC North division. The Vikings obviously have to focus on matchups with the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears and New York Giants first, but it's understandable why players have that date circled on their calendars.

As for Barr specifically, a player who was not playing at 100 percent during Week 11, it makes even more sense as to why he would be excited for the rematch. He was not a major impact performer for Minnesota during the two teams' first matchup, but he clearly intends to be during Round 2.

Minnesota can enjoy being on top of its division for the time being, but it's beginning to become very obvious that Week 17 will have postseason implications—and Barr already has a firm understanding of this.

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