Vikes’ success may feel familiar
Associated Press
ATLANTA — The Falcons recovered from a disappointing 2015 — when they started 5- 0, only to finish 8- 8 — to make it to the Super Bowl last season.
One year later, the Vikings are trying to follow the same script. They also had an 8- 8 finish after a 5- 0 start in 2016. Now they have the NFC’s second- best record.
The Vikings will put their sevengame winning streak on the line Sunday when they face the Falcons, who have won three straight.
“I think we learned a lot from that experience,” Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr said of their 2016 collapse. “And I think we’re better for it. I think all the adversity that was thrown our way, we may not have overcome it at the moment, but it built us stronger for moments like these.”
The Vikings ( 9- 2) took a threegame lead over the Lions in the NFC North by beating them 3023 last week. They boast a highscoring offense led by quarterback Case Keenum and a defense that ranks fifth in the league.
Keenum is 7- 2 as a starter and has thrown 14 touchdown passes with five interceptions in that span.
Meanwhile, the Falcons ( 7- 4) are encouraged by their revived offense. Julio Jones was the key in last week’s 34- 20 win over the Buccaneers, catching 12 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes is expected to lead the Vikings’ coverage on Jones.
Running back Devonta Freeman, who missed the last two games, could return after being cleared from the concussion protocol.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he has seen a renewed commitment from his team “to make sure our style of how we play really comes across clearly.”
“About three weeks ago, we had discussed that [ it] wasn’t coming through as clearly as we’d like,” Quinn said. “A kick- ass run, the play- action that goes with it, effectiveness on third down offensively, defense that’s driven by the turnovers, the physicality we want to play with, hits on the quarterback. We felt like, over the last few weeks, that identity offensively and defensively is more coming to life.”
Still the Case with Keenum
Keenum was voted the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for November — the first Vikings QB to win the monthly award since Brett Favre in November 2009. Keenum made 71.1 percent of his passes for 866 yards in three games.
Despite his success, coach Mike Zimmer has declined to declare Keenum the indefinite starter. Former starter Teddy Bridgewater is looming in the background.
“I’m not looking to pull him, but every week is a different week in this league,” Zimmer said.
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Takk’s sacks
Rookie defensive end Takk McKinley is emerging as another threat in the Falcons’ overhauled pass rush. McKinley, the first- round pick from UCLA, has sacks in two straight games and four overall.
“His pass rush from the beginning has been good because of his get- off,” Quinn said Wednesday. “He can beat a guy to the punch, but I think he’s starting to understand the game more clearly now, and when to take a shot.”
Third- down showdown
The Vikings’ defense has a 28.5 percent success rate on third downs, best in the NFL. That will be a key statistic to watch against the Falcons, who credit improved third- down success as a key to their recent offensive resurgence.
“We’ve been better the last couple of weeks on third down,” quarterback Matt Ryan said. “We’ve been better in the red area as well. . . . We’ve still got to work at it.”
The Jet went down to Georgia
The Vikings are undefeated since losing rookie running back Dalvin Cook to a season- ending knee injury. They’re using Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon in an effective, versatile tandem.
This is a special week for “Jet” McKinnon, a third- round draft choice out of Georgia Southern in 2014. He’s a native of Marietta, Georgia, who is expecting dozens of family and friends at the game. Many of them are Falcons fans.
“I can’t lose, because if I lose, I have to hear it for a whole year,” McKinnon said.