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EAGAN Harrison Smith Jersey , Minn. (AP) —innesota Vikings settled into their usual spots before a slight shift by defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen to their left.The second after that, defensive end Everson Griffen shuffled out of his extra-wide alignment to move directly in front of Atlanta’s Jake Matthews. Linebacker Anthony Barr crept up to the line of scrimmage in Griffen’s vacated space and, once Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan dropped back, made a beeline for the pocket for an 8-yard sack off a free rush after a disrupted Matthews blocked Griffen instead.Just one play into the 2019 schedule, the Vikings defense was already rolling.“That sack really set the tone,” Joseph said, complimenting head coach Mike Zimmer’s aggressive call at the start of the 28-12 victory over the Falcons on Sunday. “Everybody fed off that play.”For good measure, when Ryan took off on third-and-long, Barr finished the opening drive by racing over from the opposite side to make a diving tackle 2 yards short of the marker. The Falcons had to punt, Eric Wilson blocked it, and the offense took advantage of the shortened field with a quick touchdown.This was the feeling, neutralizing an opponent in front of a loud crowd with a collection of accomplished players and close friends in a system they’ve thrived in, Barr did not want to miss when he decided to stay with Minnesota instead of joining the New York Jets this offseason.“This is home,” Barr said, “and I was happy to be back.”After his verbal agreement with the Jets that day in March, Barr slept for only a few hours after realizing the strength of the bond he’d built with the Vikings and of his familiarity with Zimmer’s 4-3 scheme in which he is an integral part. After Barr told the Vikings he wanted to stay and they moved some money around to make the salary cap work Adam Thielen Jersey , the four-time Pro Bowl pick was able to keep that purple jersey after all with a five-year contract valued at $67.5 million with $33 million guaranteed.“You give him some money, and he can do a lot of different things,” Joseph said. “He is living up to the hype.”The decision meant so much to safety Harrison Smith that, in an interview later, his voice cracked with emotion. The success the Vikings have enjoyed on defense is owed to individual talent and coaching acumen, of course, but system continuity can’t be left off the list.With Smith, Joseph, Griffen, Barr and cornerback Xavier Rhodes, the Vikings have five starters who’ve been around for all of Zimmer’s six seasons. Linebacker Eric Kendricks, cornerback Trae Waynes, strong safety Anthony Harris and defensive end Danielle Hunter have five years each in the scheme. Stephen, who spent last season with Seattle before returning as a free agent, also is in his fifth year.“We have a chemistry,” Stephen said. “We kind of know where guys are going to be. We know how people rush. We know how people like to play their position.”The elbow injury suffered by cornerback Mackensie Alexander was about the only discouraging development from the opener for the Vikings, particularly given that the opposing quarterback this week is Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers. His absence in the second half against the Falcons thrust safety Jayron Kearse into primary duty in slot coverage in the nickel package Kirk Cousins Jersey , with rookies Kris Boyd and Mark Fields the only other options for the time being.Mike Hughes, whose ACL tear was 11 months ago, has been practicing this week on a limited basis. He’s on the verge of clearance, which would give the Vikings a welcomed boost behind starters Rhodes and Trae Waynes. EAGAN, Minn. — Over his first few months on the job as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, John DeFilippo diligently worked on developing his system around the skill-position pillars he inherited and learning the strengths and weaknesses of his new players.DeFilippo also held some frank offseason conversations with head coach Mike Zimmer about how the Philadelphia Eagles so successfully attacked his scheme. This weekend, those tips will finally come in handy for Zimmer and the rest of Minnesota’s defense.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamThe Vikings visit the Eagles on Sunday in a rematch of the NFC championship game that sent them home humbled after a 38-7 defeat. DeFilippo was the quarterbacks coach for the team that went on to win the Super Bowl, earning him a ring for his trophy case and a promotion with Minnesota.Much is at stake for the Vikings (1-2-1), beyond any superficial desire for revenge. They’re already behind in what promises to be another ultra-competitive NFC playoff race.For all the proficiency that Kirk Cousins has displayed passing the ball to Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, the Vikings have had unreliable protection in front of him and also failed to run the ball with any consistency. DeFilippo, naturally, will face another critical test of his play-calling acumen on the road in one of the most difficult stadiums for a visiting team to play in.There’s more to this game than that for him, though. The Eagles, despite only serving two years under head coach Doug Pederson, were the team that raised the 40-year-old DeFilippo’s profile as an up-and-coming head coach candidate. Pederson helped teach him the value of outside-the-box and aggressive thinking.“If you were doing your job, he let you run with it Marcus Sherels Jersey , take something and make it better,” DeFilippo said, “and that was my goal every day.”Don’t forget that Philadelphia, too, is DeFilippo’s de facto hometown. He was a star quarterback at suburban Radnor High School, while his father was the athletic director at Villanova. Going to Eagles training camp or attending Monday night games at Veterans Stadium was a standout memory from his youth. Stepping inside Lincoln Financial Field will be a moving moment for DeFilippo, for sure.“I’m human. You know it will be,” DeFilippo said, adding: “Once the game starts, it’s going to be like any other game. But I have nothing but respect for everyone there in that building. Just like this building, there are some really phenomenal people.”The early returns on DeFilippo’s presence with the Vikings have produced similar sentiments.“He’s done a phenomenal job,” Thielen said. “He just loves the game of football. He wants us to do well on the field, and that goes for everybody on offense. That’s what you want in a coach. You want a guy who cares a lot about you and wants to have success as a team, not just as an offense.”