Falcons - Vikings key information, live tracker, and open thread for Week 1

It’s here! Whatever your trepidation about this matchup, Falcons football has returned and that is a cause for considerable celebration.

We’ve engaged with the questions both big and small about this football team for weeks, if not months, so we’ll set those aside here. What matters is that we get to find out just how good they are, and love them whether they’re great or ugly all over again. As I’ve said all week, the Vikings are at least a terrific challenge to start things off with.

Follow along with the action here and with our live blog maintained by the lovely and talented David Walker, and let’s get this thing rolling.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings, Week 1

When: Sunday, September 8, 1 p.m. EST

Where: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Channel: FOX

Announcers: Chris Spielman and Thom Brennaman

Streaming: FOXSportsGo

Radio: 92.9 The Game

Key Questions: Can Atlanta break a three game losing streak against the Vikings and their tough defense, which has held the Falcons under 30 points each of the last three times they’ve played (and under 10 once)? Will a fully healthy Falcons team be good enough with all its enhancements to push past Minnesota? Can Isaiah Oliver and Damontae Kazee effectively bottle up Minnesota’s nasty receivers?

Prediction: Falcons win, 24-20

SB Nation Opposition Site: Daily Norseman

Twitter: @TheFalcoholic

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFalcoholic