The Minnesota Vikings open their 2019 season by hosting an Atlanta Falcons team that has a similar narrative after a disappointing 2018.
As the Minnesota Vikings line up for their season opener on Sunday, the argument could be made that they’ll be looking into a mirror on the opposite sideline. No, the Atlanta Falcons haven’t changed their color scheme to purple and gold, but they will also be looking to rebound from a disappointing 2018 season like the Vikings.
Much like Minnesota missed the playoffs with an 8-7-1 record last year, the Falcons suffered a similar fate at 7-9. Atlanta’s season was also torpedoed by injuries and an offensive line that could have been held together with duct tape by the end of the year. Long story short, both teams left 2018 with a hideous taste in their mouths.
But Week 1 of the NFL season breeds optimism across the league (unless you’re the Miami Dolphins or something). While last year ended with a thud for both teams, they return enough talent and made the additions on and off the field that could result in a better 2019.
This first matchup of the season is a great chance to establish momentum as the Vikings will look to take advantage of a schedule that should give them a chance to get off to a fast start.
Whether that happens hinges on several factors that could result in Minnesota starting off 2019 well or lead to some doubt during the early stages of the season.