Pro Sports

Falcons-Vikings Preview Capsule

Posted September 05, 2019 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

ATLANTA (7-9) at MINNESOTA (8-7-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, FOX

OPENING LINE - Vikings by 5

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Atlanta 5-11, Minnesota 8-7-1

SERIES RECORD - Vikings lead 19-11

LAST MEETING - Vikings beat Falcons 14-9, Dec. 3, 2017

AP PRO32 RANKING - Falcons No. 13, Vikings No. 11

FALCONS OFFENSE - OVERALL (6), RUSH (27), PASS (4).

FALCONS DEFENSE - OVERALL (28), RUSH (25), PASS (27).

VIKINGS OFFENSE - OVERALL (20), RUSH (30), PASS (13).

VIKINGS DEFENSE - OVERALL (4), RUSH (15), PASS (3).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Vikings have won three straight over Falcons, dating to coach Mike Zimmer's first season, 2014. ... Falcons WR Julio Jones, playing in 112th game, needs two catches to become second-fastest player in NFL history to reach 700 receptions, behind Antonio Brown (111 games). Marvin Harrison (114 games) is currently second. ... Jones led league with 1,677 receiving yards last year. ... Falcons WR Calvin Ridley led all NFL rookies in catches, yards and TDs in 2018. ... Falcons LB De'Vondre Campbell, entering fourth season as starter, played college ball at Minnesota. ... Vikings have won first three home openers at U.S. Bank Stadium, where they're 18-7 in regular season and playoffs. ... Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, starting second year with team, has fourth-most passing yards in league (17,474) since becoming starter in 2015. Ryan is first with 18,554. ... Vikings RB Dalvin Cook, who had 920 total yards from scrimmage last season, has missed 17 of 32 games to injury in career. ... Vikings rookie Garrett Bradbury, only center drafted in first round in team history, makes NFL debut. ... Vikings DE Danielle Hunter has fifth-most sacks (34) in league over past three years. Fantasy tip: Falcons QB Matt Ryan, the league MVP in 2016, has totaled only four TDs and four interceptions with average of 234 passing yards and 62.3 percent completion rate in three games against Vikings defense under Zimmer.

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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) works in the pocket against the Washington Redskins during the first half an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) The Associated Press

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