Minnesota Vikings: 4 steps to beating the Falcons
By Luke Sims
2) Convert Third Downs
In the three losses so far this season, the Minnesota Vikings have managed to convert just 12 of 38 third downs. That abysmal 31 percent conversion rate is a killer of offensive drives, puts excess pressure on the defense, and limits opportunities to score.
Minnesota has the 23rd ranked third down offense in the NFL (via Team Rankings) and desperately needs to get better if they want to continue to beat the better teams and establish themselves as not just a playoff threat, but as a contender. They currently convert just 35.43 percent of third downs.
The Atlanta Falcons are not especially good on third down, allowing their opponents to convert on 41 percent of third down tries. There is an opportunity in this game for the Vikings to raise their third down conversion percentage and get hot during the most critical offensive moments entering December.
Making sure the team doesn’t fall into third and long on a regular basis will go a long way toward converting those third downs. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was sacked six times against the Packers last week, putting further pressure on critical downs and increasing the distance.
Next: Keep the QB upright