Every game is important, but certain games take on that additional sheen of urgency and criticality. This is one of them.
The 4-4 Falcons just parked Desmond Ridder for Taylor Heinicke, perhaps permanently, and now face a 4-4 Vikings team starting rookie Jaren Hall. Atlanta is home, and while they’re down a few key players, this is a winnable game for a squad that hasn’t found its footing for any length of time. It’s pretty important that they do so now, while they’re still holding a slight edge in the NFC South, or they risk a season-long stumble that would be bitterly disappointing for a team with heightened expectations.