Vikings, Flacons coming off similar seasons

Both teams made big changes to their staffs in offseason.

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons and Vikings were just two bizarre plays away from meeting in the NFC Championship game after the 2017 regular season.

The Vikings advanced from the divisional round of the playoffs after the “Minneapolis Miracle” touchdown upended the Saints.

Down 15-10, the Falcons stalled on the 2-yard line in Philadelphia with 1:05 to play. If Julio Jones had made the circuslike catch after slipping, the Falcons and Vikings would have played for the right to advance to Super Bowl LII.

Well, the Falcons went home. The Vikings went to Philadelphia and got pum

meled 38-7. The Eagles went on to beat the Patriots for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The Falcons and Vikings, who will meet Sunday in Minneapolis, both went backward in 2018. The Falcons slipped to 7-9 during an injury-riddled campaign. The Vikings, with confusion on offense, dipped to 8-7-1. Both teams missed the playoffs and will try in 2019 to rejoin

the elite teams in the NFC. “It’s a good, tough road matchup right off the bat,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “They have got a good fantastic crowd that’s into it all the time.”

The Vikings, favored by 3.5

points, lead the teams’ regu- lar-season series 18-10. The Vikings have won the past three meetings, the most recent 14-9 on Dec. 3, 2017 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Both coaches, Quinn and Mike Zimmer, revamped their staffs in the wake of those disappointing 2018 campaigns. Quinn fired all three of his coordinators, and Zimmer promoted Kevin Ste

fanski to offensive coordina- tor and hired Gary Kubiak as the assistant head coach/ offensive consultant and Rick Dennison as the offensive line coach. Zimmer fired pass-happy offensive coor- dinator John DeFilippo and had Kubiak install the runheavy outside zone rushing scheme he ran in Houston and Denver.

The game features one of the Vikings’ strengths, a stout defensive line, against a perceived weakness of the Falcons, the revamped offen- sive line. The Falcons will start rookie Chris Lindstrom at right guard and may start Matt Gono, a second-year tackle from Division III Wesley (Dover, Del.) at right tackle. Falcons first-round pick Kaleb McGary is not in game shape after miss

ing most of the exhibition season.

The Vikings feature defensive ends Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter. They are stout up the middle with 329pound tackle Linval Joseph. The strong front is backed up by a solid linebacking corps led by four-time Pro Bowler Anthony Barr and Eric Kend- ricks. Safety Harrison Smith, a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro, and cor- nerback Xavier Rhodes, a two-time Pro Bowler, head up a strong secondary.

“We’ve been impressed by what we’ve seen,” Quinn said. “Throughout the years

they have always been really strong with (defensive coor- dinator) George (Edwards) and Mike in charge.”

The Vikings’ offense is expected to lean heavily on running back Dalvin Cook, who like Falcons running back Devonta Freeman went to Miami Central High and Florida State. Both were slowed by injury last season.

Quarterback Kirk Cous- ins, who has a 34-38-2 regular-season record, is being counted on not to make mistakes. The crafty Adam Thielen, shifty Stefon Diggs and tight end Kyle Rudolph are his main targets in the passing game. Thielen and Diggs had more than 100 catches and 1,000 yards receiving last season.

Falcons second-year cornerback Isaiah Oliver is set to make his first NFL start, while Damontae Kazee will slide down from free safety to nickel back this season. The Falcons are bracing for a heavy dose of Cook to set up the passing attack.

“What a difference he makes,” Quinn said. “He’s such a good player. He’s kind

of like Devonta in the way they’ll motion him out in the pass game as well. I’ve always had respect for him. They’ve got good tight ends. A good line.”

Both teams had to settle shaky kicking situations during the exhibition season. The Falcons hope they’ve solved things by re-signing 44-year-old Matt Bryant. The Vikings are going with veteran Dan Bailey, who spent most of his career with Dallas.

The Falcons have a great deal of respect for the Vikings’ talent and revamped coaching staff.

“Both offenses have firepower and use them in similar ways,” Quinn said. “It’s a (great) matchup, that’s for sure.”

KEVIN C. COX / GETTY IMAGES Falcons QB Matt Ryan is tackled by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr during Minnesota’s 14-9 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017. Ryan will need his revamped offensive line to come together quickly against the Vikings’ solid front seven. The Falcons have lost their past three games against the Vikings.