Rastak
09-08-2007, 06:42 AM
Why To Watch
This should be a great matchup to watch as two mirror images try to find their identity on offense. The normally-explosive Falcons are starting a new era with Joey Harrington replacing Michael Vick as their signal caller and the Vikings are force-feeding second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, asking the inexperienced small-college passer to lead the franchise. Falcons fans who were used to Vick's freakish improvisation on running plays will now see a pocket passer trying to execute the complex passing game inserted by first-year head coach Bobby Petrino, while Vikings fans who watched a pocket passer with an average arm but great poise and solid accuracy in Brad Johnson will now see a more athletic, strong-armed QB who is still learning to play the game at the NFL level.
When the Falcons have the ball
Rushing: The new-look Falcons will try to establish an effective ground attack behind running backs Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood. Both have great speed, quickness and tend to make most of their carries while bouncing the ball to the perimeter or making effective cutbacks to get to the second level of the defense. The Vikings had the No. 1 run defense in the NFL last season, but former defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin is now the head coach in Pittsburgh and Minnesota is going up against last season's No. 1 rushing offense in the league. Vick was a big part of the Atlanta ground game last season, though, so look for Petrino to get the ball to Dunn in different ways than last season. The lack of a big back who can make tough interior yards could be a problem versus the stingy Vikings front four, though. The Falcons might try and spread the field by formation to soften the base 4-3 scheme that Minnesota employs, and if Harrington can be effective early through the air Atlanta will have a chance to find creases up front and make some first downs.
Passing: The hiring of Petrino and Vick's suspension brought on dramatic changes in the Atlanta offense over the last few months. Harrington has gone from solid backup to starter but is in some ways a better fit for Petrino's complex scheme that does not allow for much improvisation from the quarterback with his legs. Petrino and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will use a varitety of formations and motions to gain an advantage in the passing game. Tight end Alge Crumpler was one of Vicks' favorite targets but won't get as much attention in an offense that works to attack all three levels of coverage. Look for veteran receivers Joe Horn, Roddy White and Michael Jenkins to stretch the field with go and post patterns to exploit an average Minnesota secondary.
When the Vikings have the ball
Rushing: The Minnesota ground attack took a huge step forward with the acquisition of first-round draft choice Adrian Peterson, who will form a strong 1-2 punch with veteran Chester Taylor behind a formidable offensive line. Taylor and Peterson have shown they can be a potent duo between the tackles on downhill running plays and also have enough quickness and speed to turn the corner on the perimeter. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has taken over the play-calling from head coach Brad Childress, but look for the same kind of conservative game plan that relies on establishing the running game early on. The Atlanta defense played well under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer during the preseason. Look for them to crowd the line of scrimmage with a mixture of eight-man fronts and zone run blitzes to force Jackson to make plays in the passing game.
Passing: The Vikings have committed fully to Jackson, who has potential, but continues to show just how raw he is. He has a strong arm and moves well out of the pocket but is inconsistent with his decision-making and accuracy. Look for Bevell to move the pocket with play-action and bootleg schemes to give his young quarterback a chance to make plays on the corner. Receivers Troy Williamson and Sidney Rice have the speed to stretch the field, and since the loss of tight end Jermaine Wiggins in the offseason will limit Jackson's options underneath, look for Minnesota to take some shots downfield early in the contest. The Falcons' defense was poor against the pass in 2006 but played well in the preseason with a mixture of pressure blitzes and combination coverages. Look for Zimmer to blitz Jackson from all areas to keep him off balance, but both Taylor and Peterson are solid receivers out of the backfield and Jackson will look to dump the ball to them if he gets in trouble early in the game.
Special Teams
Vikings place-kicker Ryan Longwell is very accurate form inside 40 yards but very inconsistent on his longer attempts and punter Chris Kluwe has a strong leg but inconsistency with his hang time hinders his net average. Atlanta's Michael Koenen is a solid punter with a strong leg and hangs the ball well for his coverage team while untested kicker Matt Prater has shown a strong leg in the preseason. Adam Jennings handles both punt and kick return duties for the Falcons and has flashed excellent speed and quickness to hit a crease on kickoffs.
How will the new-look Falcons offense execute under Joey Harrington on the road versus the stingy Vikings defense?
Harrington was set to be the backup to Michael Vick but now finds himself with a third chance to be the starter after stints with the Lions and Dolphins, and most quarterbacks who have played in new head coach Bobby Petrino's offensive system have. Petrino's scheme utilizes the perimeter receivers more than Atlanta has in recent years and will use several different formations to create mismatches. Harrington flashed at times behind poor offensive lines in Detroit and Miami, and if the Falcons are able to mount some kind of ground assault against the stout Minnesota run defense then Harrington should have a chance to move the chains through the air. He completed over 62 percent of his attempts during the preseason (mostly against the opponents' No. 1 defenses) and showed poise and patience in the pocket. If Atlanta can protect Harrington against a less-than-impressive Vikings pass rush he can be successful.
Can Minnesota quarterback Tarvaris Jackson be effective enough to win early in 2007?
The Vikings are rolling the dice by handing the reins to a second-year, small-college quarterback who has completed less than 55 percent of his passes as a pro and thrown twice as many interceptions as touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will try and establish a strong ground attack against Atlanta's solid run defense and will force feed Chester Taylor and first-round draft choice Adrian Peterson while mixing in play-action, screens and high-percentage passes to get Jackson on track. Jackson has talent and should develop into a good signal caller in the NFL but beware of giving him too much too early in the season. Falcon's defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will likely crowd the line of scrimmage to stop the run and pressure Jackson when he is in the pocket. Look for the Vikings to try and put their young quarterback in a situation to not lose the game rather than asking him to make tough, timely throws to win it down the stretch.
How much will the off season distractions affect the Falcons play?
It's obvious that the Vick debacle has taken it's toll on the entire franchise, but most within the organization would contend that they are all professionals and will play on as they always have. It's easy to say all the right things in public but to think they can simply ignore all the distractions and focus on game plans, schemes, reads and techniques is somewhat naive. The Falcons will play hard but with a new head coach bringing a completely different passing game to the table and the backup quarterback at the helm it might be tough to execute at a high level early in the season. Harrington is under a lot of pressure to play well and is taking the reins from a mostly popular player in Atlanta, and while he has talent and experience he also tends to turn the ball over in crucial situations. There is no question that the past few months will affect the Falcons coaches and players but it remains to be seen at how much or how long it will take them to get on track.
Scouts' Edge
The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
There are several close calls in terms of advantages this week and the home team gets the edge in most cases. Both teams have an excellent 1-2 punch in the backfield but the Viking are tougher to move the ball against. There are question marks about both quarterbacks but the edge goes to the veteran. It appears that the Falcons have a more innovative offensive scheme that will give them a chance in most contests, but Minnesota's defense may be too tough at home in week one. The bottom line is that both of these offenses need more time to develop but if Jackson can avoid turnovers the Vikings should generate enough offense to help the dominating defense win a close game at home.
Prediction: Vikings 20, Falcons 17
This should be a great matchup to watch as two mirror images try to find their identity on offense. The normally-explosive Falcons are starting a new era with Joey Harrington replacing Michael Vick as their signal caller and the Vikings are force-feeding second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, asking the inexperienced small-college passer to lead the franchise. Falcons fans who were used to Vick's freakish improvisation on running plays will now see a pocket passer trying to execute the complex passing game inserted by first-year head coach Bobby Petrino, while Vikings fans who watched a pocket passer with an average arm but great poise and solid accuracy in Brad Johnson will now see a more athletic, strong-armed QB who is still learning to play the game at the NFL level.
When the Falcons have the ball
Rushing: The new-look Falcons will try to establish an effective ground attack behind running backs Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood. Both have great speed, quickness and tend to make most of their carries while bouncing the ball to the perimeter or making effective cutbacks to get to the second level of the defense. The Vikings had the No. 1 run defense in the NFL last season, but former defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin is now the head coach in Pittsburgh and Minnesota is going up against last season's No. 1 rushing offense in the league. Vick was a big part of the Atlanta ground game last season, though, so look for Petrino to get the ball to Dunn in different ways than last season. The lack of a big back who can make tough interior yards could be a problem versus the stingy Vikings front four, though. The Falcons might try and spread the field by formation to soften the base 4-3 scheme that Minnesota employs, and if Harrington can be effective early through the air Atlanta will have a chance to find creases up front and make some first downs.
Passing: The hiring of Petrino and Vick's suspension brought on dramatic changes in the Atlanta offense over the last few months. Harrington has gone from solid backup to starter but is in some ways a better fit for Petrino's complex scheme that does not allow for much improvisation from the quarterback with his legs. Petrino and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will use a varitety of formations and motions to gain an advantage in the passing game. Tight end Alge Crumpler was one of Vicks' favorite targets but won't get as much attention in an offense that works to attack all three levels of coverage. Look for veteran receivers Joe Horn, Roddy White and Michael Jenkins to stretch the field with go and post patterns to exploit an average Minnesota secondary.
When the Vikings have the ball
Rushing: The Minnesota ground attack took a huge step forward with the acquisition of first-round draft choice Adrian Peterson, who will form a strong 1-2 punch with veteran Chester Taylor behind a formidable offensive line. Taylor and Peterson have shown they can be a potent duo between the tackles on downhill running plays and also have enough quickness and speed to turn the corner on the perimeter. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has taken over the play-calling from head coach Brad Childress, but look for the same kind of conservative game plan that relies on establishing the running game early on. The Atlanta defense played well under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer during the preseason. Look for them to crowd the line of scrimmage with a mixture of eight-man fronts and zone run blitzes to force Jackson to make plays in the passing game.
Passing: The Vikings have committed fully to Jackson, who has potential, but continues to show just how raw he is. He has a strong arm and moves well out of the pocket but is inconsistent with his decision-making and accuracy. Look for Bevell to move the pocket with play-action and bootleg schemes to give his young quarterback a chance to make plays on the corner. Receivers Troy Williamson and Sidney Rice have the speed to stretch the field, and since the loss of tight end Jermaine Wiggins in the offseason will limit Jackson's options underneath, look for Minnesota to take some shots downfield early in the contest. The Falcons' defense was poor against the pass in 2006 but played well in the preseason with a mixture of pressure blitzes and combination coverages. Look for Zimmer to blitz Jackson from all areas to keep him off balance, but both Taylor and Peterson are solid receivers out of the backfield and Jackson will look to dump the ball to them if he gets in trouble early in the game.
Special Teams
Vikings place-kicker Ryan Longwell is very accurate form inside 40 yards but very inconsistent on his longer attempts and punter Chris Kluwe has a strong leg but inconsistency with his hang time hinders his net average. Atlanta's Michael Koenen is a solid punter with a strong leg and hangs the ball well for his coverage team while untested kicker Matt Prater has shown a strong leg in the preseason. Adam Jennings handles both punt and kick return duties for the Falcons and has flashed excellent speed and quickness to hit a crease on kickoffs.
How will the new-look Falcons offense execute under Joey Harrington on the road versus the stingy Vikings defense?
Harrington was set to be the backup to Michael Vick but now finds himself with a third chance to be the starter after stints with the Lions and Dolphins, and most quarterbacks who have played in new head coach Bobby Petrino's offensive system have. Petrino's scheme utilizes the perimeter receivers more than Atlanta has in recent years and will use several different formations to create mismatches. Harrington flashed at times behind poor offensive lines in Detroit and Miami, and if the Falcons are able to mount some kind of ground assault against the stout Minnesota run defense then Harrington should have a chance to move the chains through the air. He completed over 62 percent of his attempts during the preseason (mostly against the opponents' No. 1 defenses) and showed poise and patience in the pocket. If Atlanta can protect Harrington against a less-than-impressive Vikings pass rush he can be successful.
Can Minnesota quarterback Tarvaris Jackson be effective enough to win early in 2007?
The Vikings are rolling the dice by handing the reins to a second-year, small-college quarterback who has completed less than 55 percent of his passes as a pro and thrown twice as many interceptions as touchdowns. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will try and establish a strong ground attack against Atlanta's solid run defense and will force feed Chester Taylor and first-round draft choice Adrian Peterson while mixing in play-action, screens and high-percentage passes to get Jackson on track. Jackson has talent and should develop into a good signal caller in the NFL but beware of giving him too much too early in the season. Falcon's defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will likely crowd the line of scrimmage to stop the run and pressure Jackson when he is in the pocket. Look for the Vikings to try and put their young quarterback in a situation to not lose the game rather than asking him to make tough, timely throws to win it down the stretch.
How much will the off season distractions affect the Falcons play?
It's obvious that the Vick debacle has taken it's toll on the entire franchise, but most within the organization would contend that they are all professionals and will play on as they always have. It's easy to say all the right things in public but to think they can simply ignore all the distractions and focus on game plans, schemes, reads and techniques is somewhat naive. The Falcons will play hard but with a new head coach bringing a completely different passing game to the table and the backup quarterback at the helm it might be tough to execute at a high level early in the season. Harrington is under a lot of pressure to play well and is taking the reins from a mostly popular player in Atlanta, and while he has talent and experience he also tends to turn the ball over in crucial situations. There is no question that the past few months will affect the Falcons coaches and players but it remains to be seen at how much or how long it will take them to get on track.
Scouts' Edge
The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
There are several close calls in terms of advantages this week and the home team gets the edge in most cases. Both teams have an excellent 1-2 punch in the backfield but the Viking are tougher to move the ball against. There are question marks about both quarterbacks but the edge goes to the veteran. It appears that the Falcons have a more innovative offensive scheme that will give them a chance in most contests, but Minnesota's defense may be too tough at home in week one. The bottom line is that both of these offenses need more time to develop but if Jackson can avoid turnovers the Vikings should generate enough offense to help the dominating defense win a close game at home.
Prediction: Vikings 20, Falcons 17