Three Key Matchups to Watch in Vikings-Falcons

These matchups will go a long way towards determining the outcome of the game.

The Falcons may be winless in 2020, but they won't be a pushover for the Vikings on Sunday. They'll be highly motivated to get a win for new coach Raheem Morris after Dan Quinn was fired this week, and Atlanta has talented playmakers on both sides of the ball. The Vikings are going to have to show up and execute at a high level to pick up their second victory of the season.

Here are three key matchups to watch during this weekend's game:

Cam Dantzler and Jeff Gladney vs. Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones

The Vikings shouldn't have too much difficulty moving the ball against a Falcons defense allowing the second-most yards (446) and points (32.2) per game in the NFL. What that means is that Atlanta may have to air it out to keep pace in what could be a high-scoring game. Their best way of doing that is by feeding a steady diet of targets to elite receivers Ridley and Jones.

With Holton Hill doubtful, the Vikings will rely on rookies Dantzler and Gladney as their outside corners for a second straight week. That means they'll get the assignments of these two Falcons stars, with Mike Hughes on Russell Gage in the slot.

Ridley has had a breakout season, surpassing 100 yards in four of five games and scoring four touchdowns. He has great speed and is a very sharp and precise route-runner. Meanwhile, Jones appears to be healthier than he has been since Week 1, entering this game without an injury designation. There isn't much that needs to be said about the all-around ability of the future Hall of Famer, although it's worth noting that he's unlikely to suddenly be 100 percent healed from his nagging hamstring injury. Even if Jones isn't at full strength, he'll be a handful for whichever rookie is lining up across from him on any given snap.

This is a big-time test for Dantzler and Gladney, who had their ups and downs last week against the Seahawks' DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

The Vikings' interior OL vs. Grady Jarrett

On the one hand, this is a less than ideal week for the Vikings to be shaking things up on the interior of their offensive line. On the other hand, Dru Samia being out of the starting lineup is unquestionably a good thing, regardless of who replaces him. Rookie Ezra Cleveland seems like the favorite to start at guard alongside Dakota Dozier, but Oli Udoh and Brett Jones could also factor into the puzzle.

However the Vikings piece together their guard spots, the interior is going to have its hands full with Jarrett. The Falcons star is one of the most dominant pass-rushing defensive tackles in the league – he's been the NFL's best, according to ESPN's pass rush win rate – and is also a stout run defender. His burst, power, and technique will present a major challenge for Garrett Bradbury and whoever is playing guard.

In last year's season opener, Jarrett recorded a sack and a forced fumble while generally wreaking havoc against the Vikings. Bradbury was simply in over his head in his NFL debut, so he'll be looking for an improved showing this time around. The Vikings need to do as much as they can to minimize Jarrett's impact so he's not constantly putting interior pressure on Kirk Cousins.

Kirk Cousins vs. Matt Ryan

OK, so this one isn't a matchup between players who will actually compete against each other on the field. Still, in a game between struggling teams with talented offensive weapons and suspect defenses, whichever quarterback plays at a higher level is almost certainly going to lead his team to victory. 

Ryan is a former MVP who obviously has a great deal of talent, but he hasn't been particularly sharp over the past few games. Since Week 3, he has just one touchdown pass and two interceptions. Ryan's passer rating has been below 70 in two of those three games, and last week he averaged just 6.1 yards per attempt. Having a healthy Jones would be huge, but Ryan simply needs to play better than he has been.

Despite a lofty INT total, Cousins has been solid to excellent all year outside of a clunker in Indy in Week 2. However, he seems to have had at least one head-scratching moment in every game this year. He couldn't get much going against the Packers until garbage time in Week 1 and should've thrown a pick-six in Week 3 if not for a Titans penalty. Last week, he lofted a floating ball intended for Justin Jefferson that was picked off by K.J. Wright. If Cousins can cut down on the mistakes and continue to feed Adam Thielen and Jefferson, he should put up big numbers against a porous Falcons secondary.

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