Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons: 5 questions with Blogging Dirty

The Minnesota Vikings face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, November 2015. To learn more about the game, FanSided’s Blogging Dirty answered 5 questions for us.

With the NFL’s playoff race heating up, two potential NFC Wild Card teams will square off on Sunday, November 29, 2015 in a big week 12 matchup.

To help get the inside scoop on the Falcons, we at The Viking Age asked Freddie Boston of Blogging Dirty to hook us up with some information by answering five questions for us. Blogging Dirty is the website on the FanSided network that covers all things Falcons, so we figured they could help us know what to expect on Sunday.

Here are the five questions he was asked:

1. The success of the Falcons has been overshadowed by the crazy season that the Panthers are having in the NFC South. Do Atlanta’s fans see this as a positive thing for going under the radar and putting together a winning season?

"“Falcons fans are pretty frustrated right now, and I think it’s due to the 5-0 start. Everyone got a little carried away with the team’s fast start, and expectations seemed to get a little out of hand. Since then, the Falcons have gone 1-4. If the wins and losses were more spread out across the season, it wouldn’t seem so bad. Before the season, I think most people realized this would be a year of transition for the Falcons with a new coaching staff, and they have definitely made strides.”"

2. Minnesota is a hard-hitting team that are solid tacklers. Should that scare a team that is known for big yards after the catch or are Atlanta’s playmakers elusive enough that they should be able to shake the defense?

"Nov 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) is unable to control the pass attempt against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at Levi“This could definitely be a concern for Atlanta as they have used a lot of short passes and dump offs this year. The Vikings have the speed on defense to get to the ball carrier and not allow the Falcons much room to breathe. Julio Jones is the big-play threat and he is always capable of making plays, but he hasn’t had much help. Leonard Hankerson is out for this game, and Roddy White has been kept quiet for much of the season.”"

3. The Falcons are currently allowing the fewest yards per game rushing to opponents, but they haven’t faced a running back like Adrian Peterson. Atlanta’s opponents are only getting 87.4 yards on the ground, so what are the odds that Peterson nets over a 100 yards rushing on Sunday?

"“It’s incredibly difficult to keep Adrian Peterson under 100 yards, and this will be the first major test for the Falcons run defense. We are about to find out what it’s made of. Peterson was kept in check by Green Bay last week, but this seems to be an exception. It’s going to be a fascinating battle, because Dan Quinn has got the run defense playing exceptionally well this year, but they must now take on the best running back in football.”"

4. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are household names and Devonta Freeman is making a lot of noise this year, but who are one player on offense and one on defense that Minnesota Vikings fans should also know about coming into this game?

"Oct 25, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) runs off the field after defeating the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Atlanta won 10-7. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports“With Devonta Freeman ruled out with a concussion, rookie running back Tevin Coleman is definitely one to watch in this game. He was the starter going into the season, and rushed for 80 yards on debut. But a ribs injury in Week 2 opened the door for Freeman, and the rest was history. The rookie did look good early on though, so it will be interesting to see how he performs. On defense, O’Brien Schofield is one to watch. Schofield followed Dan Quinn from Seattle to Atlanta and has been the Falcons’ best pass rusher this year.”"

5. What are your predictions for this game?  Please include a final score.

"“I’ve been really impressed with the Vikings this year. Mike Zimmer has done an excellent job at building the team his way, and the Vikings now boast an incredibly talented defense. Atlanta has been turning the ball over for fun, and this is the best team they have faced all season. Adrian Peterson will bounce back with a nice game, and the defense will cause the Falcons all sorts of problems. Minnesota 26, Atlanta 19.”"

Once again, huge thanks to Freddie Boston of Blogging Dirty for taking the time to answer these questions for us. And don’t miss the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, November 29, 2015.