The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TODAY’S GAME
Falcons at Vikings, 1 p.m., Fox, 92.9 FM
ALSO INSIDE
Falcons’ Joneses “on point” despite lack of reps during the preseason,
Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones and linebacker Deion Jones are set to play in the regular-season opener after not playing a down of exhibition season football.
They will be the X-factors when the Falcons face the Vikings today. Julio Jones, who received a contract extension Saturday, doesn’t put much stock in not playing in the exhibition season.
“I haven’t played in a (exhibition) season game the last four years,” Julio Jones said.
Deion Jones was rehabbing a foot injury for most of the exhibition season.
“Both of them in practice have looked on point,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “It was good to see Deion back (at practice). The speed that he plays with just jumps out to you on tape.”
Julio Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan have been working on their timing.
“With Julio the whole way through, what I admire about him and Matt is the constant communication,” Quinn said. “He’s always asking questions. They are always digging into landmarks and where to go; that kind of precision is what you are looking for. They are the X-factors for sure, but thankfully for us, they have been putting in the work with the team.”
Hot seat
Falcons running back Devonta Freeman and Vikings running back Dalvin Cook played at Miami Central High and Florida State. Both teams will count on their running back to establish the rushing attack, and the player with the most productivity will likely lead his team to victory.
For the Falcons, Freeman, who’s trying to rebound from an injury-plagued, two-game season, is on the hot seat.
“That would be a pretty pair to have, those two guys,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “Devonta is a very explosive runner. He’s a lot like Dalvin in a lot of ways. He’s very explosive. He’s a hard runner. He’s good in protection, and he does a really nice job on his routes and catching the ball.”
Freeman, who’s coming back from knee/groin injuries and sports hernia surgery, played sparingly in the exhibition season. Cook also battled injuries but played in 11 games last season.
“He can put his foot in the ground and cut just like Free does,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “I think that’s what makes tackling a running back really challenging. You think you have the right leverage on someone, and they put their foot in the ground and explode into another direction.”
3 key matchups Falcons offensive tackles vs. Vikings defensive ends:
The Falcons will use Jake Matthews at left tackle and either Ty Sambrailo or rookie Kaleb McGary at right tackle.
McGary would be making their first NFL start against a Pro Bowler.
Danielle Hunter went to the Pro Bowl last season after getting 14.5 sacks. Everson Griffen made three straight Pro Bowl trips from 2015-17. He has 66.5 career sacks.
“Here’s a guy who can really rip it off the edge, and he’s got really long arms to create separation,” Quinn said of Hunter. “His specialty is sticking his long arms into a tackle’s chest. Then from there, he’s got power to get off of it. He’s been an impressive guy.”
Falcons cornerbacks vs. Vikings wide receivers:
Falcon cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Isaiah Oliver, who spent some of the offseason working both sides and traveling some with receivers, will face Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
Trufant, who had a strong exhibition season, is trying to rebound from an uneven 2018 campaign.
Oliver, who takes over for Robert Alford, will make his first NFL start. Oliver can diagnose formations and downand-distance situations quickly.
Thielen and Diggs are coming off 100-catch, 1,000-yard seasons.
“You look at the two wide receivers, they are problems,” Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson said.
Falcons defenders Keanu Neal and De’Vondre Campbell vs. Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph:
In the opener last season, Campbell shut down Eagles tight end Zach Ertz while Neal was going in and out of the game with what was a season-ending knee injury. With Neal back healthy, the Falcons will have both of their best options to combat the rugged Rudolph, a two-time Pro Bowler.
“Rudolph is such a reliable guy for their quarterback,” Henderson said. “You look at it, and in crucial situations, he often ends up with the ball, and he often wins.”
QB Corner
Here’s what Matt Ryan had to say about the Vikings:
Q: What are the hallmarks of a Mike Zimmer defense?
A: “No. 1, they play physical across the board. Defensive line, second level, secondary. They all play physical. They are solid tacklers. They do a nice job within their pressure packages. They give you a bunch of different looks. Stress your protections, so we have to be on top of that . ... We have to play physical. That’s the biggest thing.”
Q: How complex are their blitz packages?
A: “They’ll bring it from anywhere. That’s the No. 1 thing that you’ll see from them. They trust all of their guys in different rush schemes. They’ll bring it with safeties, with linebackers. They’ll get home with just four rushing. They do a nice job of putting guys in different spots. … We have to do a really good job of identifying where people are at and being solid in our pass (protection).”
Q: What makes Minnesota safety Harrison Smith such a force?
A: “He does it all. They use him in their pressure packages quite a bit. He’s very good in zone coverage, playing half the field, but also playing a deep third. He’s good when he’s down in the box against the run game. He tackles extremely well. He covers in man-to-man coverage against running backs and tight ends. He’s the complete package, and he’s physical at that position.”