Vikings Offense Looking to Add Speed Along the Outside as the Defense Gets Thinner Up Front
Some good and bad news in the final Vikings injury report, folks.
The Vikings offense looks to get some speed back into the lineup with Jalen Nailor’s return to health. Per the team’s injury report, the sophomore receiver is questionable. Joining him with that same designation are linebacker Brian Asamoah and offensive lineman Chris Reed.
Defensively, the Vikings will be without defensive end Dean Lowry. The former Packer has often struggled in Minnesota, failing to deliver the pass rushing sizzle that the Vikings were hoping to acquire when persuading him to leave Wisconsin behind.
Lowry’s groin injury kept him off the practice field during the week.
Vikings Offense Hoping to Add Speed While Defense Gets Thinner
Kevin O’Connell will be pleased with a couple developments.
First, it’s noteworthy that the receiver room is getting healthier. True, Justin Jefferson remains on the IR, but there was at least some concern about the status of K.J. Osborn and Brandon Powell since they were each limited during the week. Thankfully for the Vikings, neither has an injury designation going into the game. The Vikings’ aerial attack will thus have Jordan Addison, Osborn, and Powell leading the charge along the outside.
And, of course, there’s the possibility of re-adding Nailor. The speedster is well known for being able to challenge a defense deep, so the possibility exists that he helps just a little bit if he’s activated off the IR. He was a full participant in practice.
O’Connell will also be pleased to see that Akayleb Evans, the Vikings’ CB2, is going into the game without an injury designation. Alongside Byron Murphy, Evans has been one of Minnesota’s most important defensive backs. He has tremendous length and offers some strong tackling, as well. Evans isn’t perfect, but the Vikings feel good about their sophomore corner.
Lowry’s absence from the game will mean there’s an increased chance for Jaquelin Roy to pickup snaps. The rookie defensive tackle has some electricity in his mitts, a wonderful attribute for defensive lineman (especially one who lives along the inside). Look for Brian Flores to give a d-line consisting of Roy, Jonathan Bullard, and Harrison Phillips a whirl in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons received some disappointing news. Wide receiver Drake London won’t be able to play, meaning Taylor Heinicke’s task just got a fair bit more challenging. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 213 pounds, London is an imposing presence at receiver. He has turned 37 catches into 438 yards and 2 TDs during the current season.
Atlanta will miss his production.
DeMarcco Hellams and Keith Smith won’t be healthy enough to play, either.
The Vikings and Falcons will begin their game at 12 p.m. CDT inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The winner of the contest will see their record rise above .500, a notable feat in a tightly contested battle for one of the last playoff spots in the NFC.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.