Minnesota Vikings are awaiting the Atlanta Falcons in the matchup of two wounded teams.
- Where: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- When: Sunday, October 18, 1 PM ET
- How to Watch: CBS
Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons Preview
Falcons have fired head coach Dan Quinn following a 0-5 start of the season, not having the slightest sympathy for the man who led them to the Super Bowl. He had numerous troubles this year, but that didn’t save him in the end. To be honest, the same destiny awaits Mike Zimmer if his Vikes continue to play like this. Minnesota invested a lot of money into this team to see them having just one win in five contests.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons Odds
| Vikings | Falcons |
| -3.5 (-110) | +3.5 (-110) |
Zimmer in Trouble
Not only did his team lose four of the previous five matches, but several defeats came as a direct consequence of his decisions. Coach Zimmer decided not to go for a field goal against the Seahawks, which was the main reason why his team lost in the end, 27-26.
The Vikes would have a tie and overtime in the worst possible scenario, but Zimmer proceeded for the fourth-and-1, which turned to be a bust.
Kirk Cousins is not playing as expected, and even though he recorded 1132 yards and is one of the better QBs in the league in that aspect, Captain Kirk also threw seven interceptions, just one fewer than his TD tosses. The only guy who is presenting a real force in the Vikes is Dalvin Cook, who rushed for 489 yards on 92 carries for seven scores.
Post-Quinn Period
If one thing marked Dan Quinn’s stint in Atlanta, it was his inability to close the match. From the Super Bowl against the Pats, up until the recent clash against the Dallas Cowboys, the Falcons lost the games they were supposed to win easily. Why? We don’t know.
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will serve as an interim HC, and will try to bring back some confidence into the pale unit.
After missing the match with the Carolina Panthers, Julio Jones is expected to play, and that is very good news for the Falcons’ fanbase. Matt Ryan, who is one of the best passers in the league, with 1472 yards so far, will have his favorite target back, and the workload for Calvin Ridley will be far less demanding. Ridley has 4 TDs right now, with 485 yards on 29 receptions.
Previous Games
Since 2014, the Vikings posted four straight victories over this rival, the most recently last year. It was 28-12 for the hosts in Minneapolis, with Dalvin Cook rushing for 111 yards and two TDs.
Prediction
The spread on the Vikings is short, -3.5 points, and that is a chance for us to win some money. It is hard to believe in another unpleasant surprise. We need to remind you that they handled Seattle, one of the Super Bowl contenders, very well for the majority of the game and that Seahawks won, not because they played well, but because of Zimmer’s decision.
So, a team capable of competing with the Seahawks, is good to win this event with four points.
