Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
TV Schedule: Sunday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Stadium: Georgia Dome-Atlanta, Georgia
Current Line: Atlanta (-2)- Vegas Insider.com
A matchup with potential playoff implications in the NFC is coming in Week 12, as the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) travel to take on the Atlanta Falcons (6-4). Both teams are coming off losses in Week 11, as the Vikings were humbled by the Green Bay Packers and the Falcons led the Indianapolis Colts by 14 twice before losing for the fourth time in five games.
Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson went over 1,000 rushing yards for the season last week, but he only had 13 carries for 45 yards (with a touchdown) against Green Bay as Minnesota’s offense was forced into pass-first mode in the second half. Atlanta has the league’s No. 1 rush defense right now (87.4 yards per game), but getting Peterson going early would help the entire Vikings’ offense stay on track.
Pass protection was an issue again for Minnesota in Week 11, as quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was sacked six times and under duress frequently. The Falcons have a tied for league-low 12 sacks so far this season, so if Bridgewater is under constant pressure again on Sunday the offensive line will get some well-deserved criticism once again.
Falcons’ running back Devonta Freeman suffered a concussion last Sunday, so until further notice he has to be considered questionable for this week. The Vikings have struggled to stop the run at times this season, so Freeman’s potential absence would be good news as they try to allocate defensive attention toward wide receiver Julio Jones (89 receptions for 1,189 yards and six touchdowns this season).
Three of their wins during a recent five-game winning streak came on the road, so the Vikings have dismissed concerns about their ability to win games away from home. The Falcons’ 5-0 start seems like a distant memory right now, as they seem to be doing just enough to lose games during their recent struggles.
Score Prediction: Vikings 23, Falcons 21
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
