Atlanta
Falcons
3-3
32
FINAL
28
Minnesota
Vikings
6-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Atlanta Falcons narrowly defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32-28 in a thrilling Week 12 matchup that had major playoff implications. Both teams entered the game fighting for positioning, making this contest critical for their postseason aspirations.
Kyler Murray showcased his passing prowess for the Vikings, throwing for 242 yards and four touchdowns, but it was Derrick Henry's dominant ground game that made the difference for Atlanta. Henry rushed for an impressive 170 yards, consistently moving the chains and keeping the Falcons' offense on track. Meanwhile, Demond Claiborne shined as Murray's top target, racking up 148 receiving yards to keep Minnesota competitive throughout the game.
Defensively, the matchup was highlighted by the Falcons' ability to create turnovers, with Xavier Watts snagging a crucial interception that shifted momentum late in the game. The Vikings' defense, anchored by Harrison Smith's six tackles and Andrew Van Ginkel's 1.5 sacks, put pressure on the Falcons, but it was not enough to secure the win. The turning point came when Watts' interception allowed Atlanta to capitalize and solidify their lead, ultimately sealing the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray | QB | 23 | 13 | 57% | 242 | 4 | 4 | 93.0 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 30 | 16 | 53% | 168 | 2 | 1 | 78.1 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | HB | 19 | 170 | 8.9 | 91 | 1 | 63 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 6 | 38 | 6.3 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | TE | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 4 | 148 | 37.0 | 110 | 2 | 65 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 5 | 59 | 11.8 | 36 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 6 | 51 | 8.5 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Derrick Henry | HB | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 36 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Deion Burks | WR | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Jahan Dotson | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | — | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DeMarcco Hellams | FS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sydney Brown | SS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gervon Dexter Sr | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brandon Dorlus | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Harold Perkins Jr | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Harris | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Charles Demmings | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zach Harrison | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Nick Folk | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 |

