While the Atlanta Falcons are facing a top two if not the best wide receiver in the NFL right now in Justin Jefferson this Sunday night the Falcons’ top priority shouldn’t be trying to shut down or neutralize Jefferson, it should be stopping the Minnesota Vikings running game, and The Morning Shift explained why earlier today.
“The receiving core you just faced arguably and the quarterback are head and shoulders better than what you’re facing as a group than basically just Justin Jefferson and that’s it.” Beau Morgan said
Beau continued by saying “They’ve gotta stop Jordan Mason. They’ve gotta stop Aaron Jones. The key to unlocking a young quarterback, and one where you’re missing some weapons is unlocking the running game, and you can’t allow them to run for 120 yards and you did a good job last week of stopping the running backs of Tampa Bay you just couldn’t stop Baker [Mayfield] and I’m not sure if JJ [McCarthy] is quite going to have the pocket presence that Baker Mayfield had last week.”
If the Falcons’ don’t let the Vikings get their running game going and make them one dimensional it will then become that much easier to slow down Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson, and the Vikings passing game, so that’s why for the Falcons’ defense it’s all about stopping Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Minnesota’s running game first and foremost because if Atlanta can do that that’ll help them stop the Vikings passing game as well.