Falcons vs. Vikings: Week 2 Sunday Night Football Preview

The Falcons travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. The Vikings are coming off an impressive, come-from-behind victory against the Chicago Bears that featured three J.J. McCarthy fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Falcons, on the other hand, are coming off a heartbreaking three-point home loss versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and are hoping to avoid a 0-2 start. Let’s go through a preview of key matchups and what to expect out of this game from both sides.

Falcons’ Receivers (?):

The Falcons, who are in my opinion already short at receiver, have three key injuries to monitor on their practice reports. WR Darnell Mooney, who was inactive in Week 1, has been a limited participant all week after suffering a shoulder injury in July. WR Drake London, who exited the game after injuring his shoulder in the fourth quarter of Week 1, has been practicing in a limited fashion, but head coach Raheem Morris says he expects London to suit up. Additionally, the Falcons’ 2024 fifth-round pick WR Casey Washington has not participated in any of this week’s practices with a concussion.

For young QB Michael Penix Jr. going up against a Brian Flores defense, having elite receivers will be important. The Falcons’ offense always takes a notable dip in explosive plays (plays of 20+ yards) without Mooney, and this was seen last week as they only generated three explosive plays. This, coupled with the loss of Penix’s most reliable target in Drake London, could give the Falcons massive trouble going up against such an elite defense. I personally expect both of these weapons to play given the 0-1 start, but I will be monitoring the statuses of both players going into game time. Knowing Raheem Morris and the Falcons, I expect both to carry a questionable designation going into 6:50 PM EST Sunday (90 minutes before kickoff, when inactives are officially announced).

Vikings’ Injury Report:

The Vikings also do not have a clean bill of health going into this game. Star offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw logged a full and limited practice this week. The order of that is important because he logged the full practice first. This leaves some questions as to his availability, though I expect him to suit up. Darrisaw is coming off a torn ACL in Week 8 of 2024.

The Vikings also have key injuries in their elite linebacker room. Vikings’ defensive signal-caller Blake Cashman was placed on IR yesterday, and LB Andrew Van Ginkel has not participated in either practice this week with a concussion. Both of these players provide a lot of versatility and experience on this Brian Flores defense, and Van Ginkel’s status should be closely monitored up until kickoff.

“Rookie” QBs vs. Experienced DCs:

Both McCarthy and Penix Jr. are coming off redshirt-like rookie seasons, with McCarthy appearing in one preseason game and Penix appearing in three games. Both Falcons’ Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and Vikings’ Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores are experienced coaches in the NFL and will have the responsibility of trying to confuse these younger quarterbacks. Flores is a defensive mastermind, and last week he showed exactly why. Against Caleb Williams, Flores was able to rotate defenders, use complex disguises, and change tendencies to confuse Williams in the second half, leading to their dramatic comeback victory.

Ulbrich did not have as clear of a win in his first game back with the Falcons. Ulbrich was scheming against veteran QB Baker Mayfield, and while his blitzing and new attack-style defense worked, Mayfield made key throws during the game, finishing with three touchdowns. Ulbrich will have a seemingly easier test, though Falcons’ S Jessie Bates said that McCarthy might actually be faster than Mayfield. The Falcons, who are known for struggling with mobile QBs, will have their hands full trying to give the Falcons’ offense some cushion versus the stout Vikings’ defense.

Bottom Line:

This matchup is a battle between two promising young quarterbacks and two seasoned defensive minds. If Michael Penix Jr. has his receivers healthy and can withstand Brian Flores’ pressure looks, Atlanta has the offensive firepower to keep pace. But the Falcons will need to be at their absolute best. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, fresh off a Coach of the Year award, has firmly established himself as one of the NFL’s top five coaches. Any slip-up by Raheem Morris’ team—whether in execution, discipline, or adjustments—and O’Connell will pounce.