5 Vikings players to watch in Week 1 against the Falcons

Everson Griffen – DE

Everson Griffen is another Vikings player looking for a bounce-back season and it needs to start on Sunday.

Griffen had an off-year in 2018. He missed about six games to take time to get his mental health right. Griffen was able to work his way back onto the field, but he just wasn’t himself during the remainder of the season.

He was getting handled in one-on-one situations and he just didn’t have that fire and tenacity that he played with during the majority of his career.

There was talk of Griffen being traded this past offseason, or even flat out released. Fortunately, he was able to work out a restructured contract with Minnesota and he is coming back with a renewed determination.

Griffen is a smart guy, he knows what was being said about him last season and he should have more than enough fuel to motivate him to have a big year in 2019.

On Sunday, he will have a tough matchup against Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews. He’s Atlanta’s best and most experienced tackle and he is very athletic with a nice long wingspan.

If Griffen plays with the fire that has been brewing in him all offseason long, it won’t matter who is lined up across from him. He’ll be revved up and ready to roll and if he’s going to have a big year, it will start this week against the Falcons.