Atlanta units sail into the area of the Viking for a renewal of a matchup in opposition to one more NFC staff that has owned the all time collection historical past in opposition to them. The Falcons and Vikings have met a complete of 33 occasions of their respective histories, with Minnesota triumphing 21 of these occasions.
The Falcons really received off to an excellent begin, successful three of the primary 4 matchups, which have been all performed within the Sixties. This features a shocker of a 10-3 win within the 1969 common season finale in opposition to Bud Grant’s Vikings, who dropped to 12-2, and who wound up making it to the primary of their 4 Tremendous Bowl appearances that season.
Success was few and much between as the last decade shifted away from the ‘60s, as Minnesota went 7-2 in opposition to the Falcons all through the rest of the Bud Grant period, together with a victory within the 1983 playoffs. Only for good measure, Atlanta was one in all simply three victories for the 1984 Vikings within the one and completed Les Steckel season.
The Falcons have by no means achieved greater than two victories in a row in opposition to the Vikings, whereas Minnesota has received 4 straight on this season collection three separate occasions. They’ve even received 5 of the six most up-to-date video games in opposition to the Birds.
I’m certain Minnesota Vikings followers would commerce all of that success over Atlanta in trade for one singular win, in by far an important matchup these two groups competed in, when the Falcons shocked the soccer world by going into the Metrodome and upsetting the seemingly unstoppable 15-1 Vikings within the 1998 NFC Championship Sport.
Minnesota was the heavy favourite to win the Tremendous Bowl that season, they usually trotted out the best offense in NFL historical past as much as that time, however have been upset in additional time by Jamal Anderson and the Soiled Hen Falcons, after coming one Gary Anderson (who was good that season) kick away from the Tremendous Bowl. It nonetheless stays doubtless probably the most painful defeat in Vikings historical past.
Final Assembly
The Falcons have been trying to proper the ship following an upset defeat in Tennessee the sport earlier than after they went right into a Week 9 matchup in opposition to the 4-4 Minnesota Vikings, who have been reeling after quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his achilles and was misplaced for the season only one weekend prior.
Minnesota began Jaren Corridor on this one however misplaced him because of a concussion, so up stepped Joshua Dobbs, who was acquired by way of a commerce and nonetheless had but to observe together with his new staff.
Dobbs wound up placing collectively a masterful efficiency as a twin risk, including 66 speeding yards and a landing to his 158 passing yards and two scores. Atlanta paid the worth for settling for a number of subject targets within the first half, as they led by just one on the half. They’d led by as many as eight twice, together with after a 3rd quarter Jonnu Smith display screen go which went 60 yards for a landing, however they all the time let Minnesota preserve it inside one rating.
Nervousness was excessive even after Tyler Allgeier’s go-ahead landing run with 2:08 remaining put the Falcons up 4, and Dobbs orchestrated an 11-play drive with time to spare and linked with former Falcon Brandon Powell for the sport successful rating. Atlanta missed a transparent sack on 4th down which might have sealed the sport simply three performs earlier, however Bud Dupree allowed Dobbs to flee and to scramble for 22 yards as a substitute.
