The Falcons (4-4) take on the Minnesota Vikings (4-4) at home this week on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The quarterback situation on both teams is prevalent story line. Arthur Smith announced backup Taylor Heinicke as the Week 9 starter after he took over the second half of the Falcons Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
On the Vikings side, they lost Kirk Cousins for the year after he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Minnesota's Monday Night Football matchup. The Vikings will look to start rookie Jaren Hall marking the first start of Hall's career.
Last week the overwhelming majority chose the Falcons to win in game that they ultimately lost. This week almost all the experts picked the Falcons again, we'll see if they can deliver. Check out the full picks below:
| Author | Outlet | Pick |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Flower | ESPN | Falcons |
| Kimberly Martin | ESPN | Falcons |
| Lindsey Thiry | ESPN | Falcons |
| Dan Parr | NFL.com | Falcons |
| Tom Blair | NFL.com | Falcons |
| Albert Breer | Sports Illustrated | Vikings |
| Connor Orr | Sports Illustrated | Falcons |
| Gilbert Manzano | Sports Illustrated | Falcons |
| Pete Prisco | CBS Sports | Falcons |
| Bill Bender | Sporting News | Falcons |
For more complete picks, visit: ESPN, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and NFL.com.
This Throwback Thursday, we're taking at look back at the Falcons vs Vikings match-up through history as we gear up for Sunday's game against Minnesota in Week 9.
Group Photo of the Atlanta Falcons playing a game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1991 (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis #81 during the game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings on January 17, 1999. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1999, file photo, Atlanta Falcons' Morten Andersen (5) boots a 39-yard field goal from the hold of Dan Strazinsky (4) to win the NFC Championship 30-27 in overtime over the Minnesota Vikings, in Minneapolis. Anderson enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, FIle)
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1999, file photo, Atlanta Falcons kicker Morten Andersen (5) and holder Dan Stryzinski (4) celebrate Andersen's 39-yard field goal to give Atlanta a 30-27 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship in Minneapolis. Andersen, who began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints in 1982, enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points. He played in a record 382 games during his 25-year career. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke, File)
Atlanta Falcons offensive line during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1996. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons center Robbie Tobeck #61 during the game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings on January 17, 1999.
Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Adam Schreiber #67 during the game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings on January 17, 1999. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons Deion Sanders #21 during the game against the Minnesota Vikings in Atlanta, GA on September 8, 1991.
Group Photo of the Atlanta Falcons playing a game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1991 (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Group Photo of the Atlanta Falcons playing a game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1991 (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking #56 during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 12, 1999. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Calvin Collins #68 during the game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings on January 17, 1999. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis #81 during the game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings on January 17, 1999. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle #58 during the game against the Minnesota Vikings during the 1990 season.
Atlanta Falcons defensive back Deion Sanders #21 during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1991 (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman David Richards #62 during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1996. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Group Photo of the Atlanta Falcons playing a game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1991 (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons' Morten Andersen (5) boots a 39-yard field goal from the hold of Dan Strazinsky (4) to win the NFC Championship 30-27 in overtime over the Minesota Vikings Sunday, Jan. 17, 1999, in Minneapolis. The Falcons advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1999, file photo, Atlanta Falcons' Morten Andersen, left, and Chris Chandler celebrate on the podium after the Falcons beat the Minnesota Vikings 30-27 to win the NFC Championship, in Minneapolis. The Falcons are in rare territory, indeed. For only the eighth time in franchise's 51-season history, they are among the final eight teams in the NFL playoffs. Of course, the Falcons have never won a Super Bowl title, a burden that hangs over this year's high-scoring team heading into Saturday's divisional round game against the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Group Photo of the Atlanta Falcons playing a game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1991 (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons center Roman Fortin #65 during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1996. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Bert Emanuel #87 during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 8, 1996. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
Interior photograph of the Atlanta Falcons home field during the game in Atlanta against the Minnesota Vikings on September 12, 1999. (Photo by Jimmy Cribb)
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