Must-Read Storylines for Falcons at Vikings
Michael Penix Jr. will get his first-ever crack as a starter at the Minnesota Vikings this weekend, taking on the purple team at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday Night Football.
From key matchups to turning points, here are the big-ticket items to watch for Falcons at Vikings. A closer look at what will decide SNF.
Atlanta lost in Week 1 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Minnesota took care of business by three points over the Chicago Bears.
These are the main storylines for Vikings-Falcons.
4 Big-Ticket Items to Track for Falcons at Vikings
The Falcons lost to the Vikings last December in the same building.
1. A QB Rematch of the 2023 National Championship
Remember the springboard event that put J.J. McCarthy on draft pundits’ Round 1 radar in 2024? That was the National Championship, when his Michigan Wolverines took down the Washington Huskies in January 2024.
Michael Penix Jr. quarterbacked that team, and Michigan prevailed by a score of 34-13 — McCarthy’s Wolverines in a beatdown.
Now, McCarthy and Penix Jr. will meet again in the pros, this time under the lights of Sunday Night Football.
2. Atlanta’s Mediocre Offensive Line
The Falcons’ offensive line isn’t hideous, but spend any amount of time reading work from Falcons-themed writers, and the internet traveller will find concerns. The group ranked seventh-worst in Week 1 per run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus, and checked in at No. 13 in protecting Penix Jr.
Andrew Van Ginkel won’t play on Sunday night because of a concussion, but between Jonathan Greenard, Dallas Turner, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Jalen Redmon, Minnesota has the horses to disrupt Atlanta’s mediocre trenches.
The Falcons are also without starting tackle Kaleb McGary, who suffered a leg injury a couple of weeks ago and will miss all of 2025.
Falcoholic‘s Saivion Mixon wrote about the Falcons’ offense and trenches right before the start of the regular season: “The Falcons were already built on a knife’s edge, and the preseason made that reality impossible to ignore, especially along the offensive line.”
“When looking at the depth behind the starting unit, the drop-off was immediate and obvious. This offense didn’t get many upgrades over last year’s unit. The front office pushed its chips in on a youth movement on defense, which left the offense to rely on natural continuity in year two of Zac Robinson’s system, and inputting first-year starter Michael Penix, Jr. for any tangible improvement on that side of the ball.”
Atlanta’s offensive line concerns actually sound like Minnesota’s from 2018 to 2021.
Mixon continued, “It’s a fine plan, but Atlanta’s injury luck last year was incredible, especially along the offensive line. Outside of Drew Dalman, who is no longer on the roster, all four of the other pieces on the line played 90% or more of the offensive snaps in 2024. That’s a tough mark to replicate.”
“Now, Michael Penix Jr.’s blindside is being protected by third-string swing tackle Elijah Wilkinson. For a first-year starter who isn’t exactly known for mobility, that’s a nightmare scenario. If Penix is forced to create off-script while also settling into Zac Robinson’s offense, the ceiling of this unit takes a hit, and the offense is supposed to be the steadying force of this roster.”
3. An Old Friend in Mike Hughes
In 2018, the Vikings used a 1st-Round pick on cornerback Mike Hughes. He never fully blasted off in Minnesota, despite a few highlight moments, as his Twin Cities tenure was muddied by injuries.
He’s had staying power in the league, though, and Hughes is now a starting cornerback for Atlanta. Minnesota torched him last year with Sam Darnold in charge. This go-round, Hughes will have to cover Justin Jefferson or Adam Thielen. And the man just isn’t an elite defensive back or anything close to it.
4. The Bijan Robinson Factor
In 2024, Robinsons rushed for 1,456 yards. In Week 1 against the Buccaneers, he produced just 24.
What does this mean? Well, this means that Robinson won’t be contained for long. He’ll likely pop Minnesota for much more than 24 yards. It’s also worth noting that Tampa Bay couldn’t contain Robinson on the whole; he had 100 receiving yards to make up for the ground game woes.
Robinson will probably be a menace in Minneapolis. It’s a matter of the extent.
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