- Kickoff: 7:20 p.m. Sunday
- Where: U.S. Bank Stadium
- TV: NBC
- Radio: KFAN-FM 100.3; SiriusXM 225, 820 (Vikings), 226, 801 (Falcons), 88 (Westwood One)
- Line: Vikings by 3½
After their comeback win over the Bears on Monday night, the Vikings will play their third prime-time home opener in U.S. Bank Stadium’s 10-year history. The last time they faced Atlanta, in December, the week was all about Kirk Cousins’ return; he’ll likely be only a spectator this time, watching the quarterbacks the Vikings and Falcons took in the first round to succeed him last year.
Here’s a look at the matchup between the 1-0 Vikings and 0-1 Atlanta:
The biggest story line
McCarthy, Penix share the field again: The last time J.J. McCarthy played a game against Michael Penix Jr. was on Jan. 8, 2024, when Michigan defeated Washington 34-13 in the college football national championship game. That storyline will likely be referenced frequently on Sunday night, in a matchup NBC probably claimed for the early part of the season while both teams are still relevant. The Vikings spent time with Penix before last year’s draft, and took McCarthy two picks after the Falcons delivered the stunner of the night by selecting Penix eighth overall even though they’d just signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.
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Vikings offense vs. Falcons defense
McCarthy looks to cap big week with home win: On Wednesday, McCarthy was named the NFC offensive player of the week for leading the Vikings’ comeback win in his hometown on Monday night. On Thursday, he left the Vikings’ facility following team meetings to be with his fiancée, Katya Kuropas, as she gave birth to the couple’s first child. It’s surely a week he’ll never forget, and he’ll finish it with his first start at U.S. Bank Stadium in prime time. The Falcons took Georgia pass rusher Jalon Walker 15th overall to help a middling pass rush, and Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (Atlanta’s third-round pick) had an impressive debut last week. But if the Vikings can give McCarthy time to throw, he could test the Falcons’ secondary.
Jefferson seeks a sharper outing: Though he caught McCarthy’s first NFL touchdown pass on Monday night, Justin Jefferson had an uncharacteristically sloppy start to the season, with two dropped passes and a few route-running errors. He took responsibility for McCarthy’s pick-six on Thursday, saying he needed to take two more steps in his route to time his break with McCarthy’s throw, and had several other routes he cut off short of the intended spot. “I’ve got to be better at detailing my route and getting to where I need to be,” he said.
Vikings defense vs. Falcons offense
Vikings get first look at Penix: Atlanta’s second-year quarterback was still the backup last December when the Falcons came to U.S. Bank Stadium. He took over the job from Cousins later that month, and threw for 298 yards and a touchdown while running for another score last week. Penix, who’s had two torn ACLs in his career, isn’t a frequent running threat (though the Vikings praised his mobility this week). He’s got the arm strength to push the ball downfield, and could look to Darnell Mooney to stretch the field if the receiver returns from injury this week. The Vikings will be without Andrew Van Ginkel because of a concussion. That will give Dallas Turner his first start, as the second-year pass rusher tries to pressure Penix. On Saturday, the Falcons announced another change, as they will make former Viking Parker Romo their kicker for Sunday night over struggling veteran Younghoe Koo.
Robinson can ”ruin a game”: In the matchup between the teams last December, Bijan Robinson gained 92 yards on 22 carries, but the Vikings limited the eighth pick in the 2023 draft to two catches for 9 yards. That’s significant given the fact he caught 61 passes last year and posted 100 yards on six catches last week, including a swing pass he took 50 yards for a touchdown after Penix found the running back on a checkdown. “He’s as hard to tackle as there is in the National Football League,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “He’s got great vision. He can get to the perimeter. He’s certainly got the jump cut. He can put his foot in the ground if you overrun it. It’s not just your normal swing routes to a running back. He can run slants and slant gos. He’s got the whole arsenal as far as route-running ability. I was telling our guys earlier, this guy can ruin a game.”
