3 reasons why the Vikings will beat the Falcons in Week 9

3. No Grady Jarrett for Atlanta

Lucky enough for Kevin O'Connell and his offense, the Falcons will be without star defensive tackle Grady Jarrett for Sunday's matchup.

Jarrett is a game wrecker, and he has been one of the league's best interior defenders since he entered the league in 2015. Atlanta's defense typically experiences a significant drop in production when he's not on the field.

It will be interesting to see how Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielson will replace the production that Jarrett brings.

For the Vikings, their rushing attack should play a significant role in this matchup, and the duo of Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers will be at the forefront of Minnesota's game-plan on Sunday.

Neither Mattison nor Akers have yet to gain over 100 yards rushing in any game this season, and with Jarrett out on Sunday, at least one of them should be able to hit the 100-yard mark in the matchup.