The Falcons squandered an excellent opportunity on Sunday against the Bucs, and as expected, enter as underdogs on Sunday Night Football on the road in Minnesota. Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Vikings sit as 3.5-point favorites at home, with the over/under on total points set at 44.5
Atlanta was a field goal away from pushing Sunday’s contest into overtime, but Younghoe Koo’s kick was wide right off the toe, and that was that. It was yet another entry into the Pantheon of Falconing that plagues this
team in the waning seconds, and things will certainly not get any easier on the road in Minnesota.
While the outcome gave us heartburn, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was impressive all afternoon. Sure, he sailed a couple of passes, but the majority of his throws had zip and were on target downfield. He single-handedly kept the Falcons in this game when protection broke down around him, and we should expect him to build on this performance moving forward.
For the Vikes, they were dead in the water against the Bears until they pieced together a 21-point fourth quarter, the type of situation that has bedeviled the Atlanta defense. They have a one-two punch in the backfield with Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones, so the Falcons’ front should be ready for a day that heavily features both.
The Falcons desperately need this game, lest they sink to 0-2 with the Commanders, Bills, and 49ers waiting in the coming weeks. Should they prove the doubters and oddsmakers wrong, it would be the second time in two seasons that they snagged a Week 2 upset against a contender.
