4 keys to victory for the Vikings vs. the Falcons in Week 6
By Dean Jones
Contain Grady Jarrett
One of the real problem areas for the Minnesota Vikings this season, and in years gone by, has been their interior protection. There were plenty of concerns about this group heading into the campaign and unfortunately they might even be worse than originally feared.
This will represent a significant problem against Grady Jarrett, who is quickly emerging as one of the NFL’s brightest young defensive tackles. The powerful force is a relentless presence on the line of scrimmage who caused havoc this season when given enough space to work in.
The Vikings will be without the services of Dru Samia, which might be a blessing in disguise. Jarrett would have been salivating at the prospect of coming up against the worst-graded guard by Pro Football Focus through five weeks and it remains to be seen if anyone else on the protection can rise to the challenge.
If Jarrett gets some confidence early on, then he has the potential to shift the momentum completely in Atlanta’s direction. The former fifth-round pick already has 2.5 sacks, six quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and a creditable 77.0 PFF grade to his name this season and it might need to be a collective effort by the Vikings to limit his production in this one.