Open Thread, Falcons @ Vikings

Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Minneapolis, Minnesota

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
Falcons	0	0	0	3	3
Vikings	7	0	3	14	24

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day get one more yard
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part
-Tom Petty, The Waiting
  I swear, the 4-hour time period between 8 AM and noon Central on the first day of football season is the longest four hours ever. At least it's not as bad as last year when we had to wait until Monday night to start the party.

Well, folks, here it is. . .the moment of truth. The big one. The day we've been looking forward to since 31 December 2006. We've talked all off-season about how this Vikings' team should be much improved over last year's version, and now we finally get to see if it will come to pass on the field of play.

At the risk of sounding a touch on the arrogant side, I think we got a pretty damn good team to start out with. Atlanta's big strength for the past couple of years has been their running game, and the Vikings (until proven otherwise) still sport the best run defense in the NFL. Joey Harrington has a 1-6 lifetime record against the Vikings, and has never won at the Metrodome. All eyes in this one will be on young Tarvaris Jackson, young Adrian Peterson, and the rest of the youngsters on the offensive side of the ball for Minnesota. Will #7 be able to move the football on third downs when he needs to? Will #28 show even more flashes of why he was considered the best pure RB prospect to enter the NFL Draft in recent memory? I think the answer to both of those questions will be a resounding "yes," and the Vikings will start out their season with a 1-0 record.

Gonzo's Fearless Score Prediction: Vikings 20, Falcons 13

Strap it up, ladies and gentlemen. . .it's time!