It goes without saying that the Atlanta Falcons desperately need a win. Just as importantly, Kirk Cousins is in dire need of a bounce-back performance. Week 14 presents him with a unique opportunity to do just that against his former team, the Minnesota Vikings.
The Falcons (6-6) are currently riding a three-game losing streak and are barely clinging to their lead in the NFC South division. Facing one of the league’s best teams, the Vikings (10-2), couldn’t come at a worse time for Atlanta.
For Cousins, this game marks a homecoming in Minnesota, where he had the most success of his NFL career. But success has been elusive for the veteran quarterback of late. Cousins now leads the league in turnovers with 15. Interestingly, right behind him on this list is Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold with 14, adding another layer of intrigue to this NFC matchup.
With the season winding down and the margin for error quickly diminishing, Sunday’s game appears to be a must-win for the Falcons. Losing four games in a row could very well signal a lost season. With that, let’s dive into our bold Falcons vs. Vikings predictions in Week 14.
Falcons defense sacks Sam Darnold three times
The Falcons defense continues to hold by far the unenviable title of worst in the league for sacks. Atlanta has just 15 sacks this season, trailing even their division rival Carolina Panthers, who have 21. However, there was a glimmer of hope last week against the Chargers, when the Falcons made their best passing performance. the year.
Atlanta recorded a season-high five sacks in Week 13, surpassing its previous best-of-three against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9. Does this signal a turnaround for the Falcons pass rush? Not necessarily. Although the defensive front could receive reinforcements this week with the return of injured players, their success will largely depend on the matchup. The good news is that they’re facing a Vikings team that ranks ninth worst in sacks allowed in the league, giving up 37 on the year. That’s only slightly worse than the Chargers, who allowed 35.
While it might be too optimistic to expect another five-sack performance, tying their second-best mark out of three seems entirely reasonable for this weekend.
Kirk Cousins throws at least one touchdown, two interceptions and sacked twice
Kirk Cousins’ time in Atlanta had some highlights, but those were quickly overshadowed by a string of poor performances. Over his last three games, Cousins has failed to throw a single touchdown while throwing six interceptions, stalling the Falcons’ offense.
Last week, a first-round pick against the Los Angeles Chargers set the tone for what ultimately became a close game. Despite multiple chances to win, Cousins sealed Atlanta’s fate with interceptions on the team’s final two drives. He threw four total interceptions in the loss to the Chargers, tying a career high.
It was against a strong Chargers defense, but things only get tougher this weekend, even though Minnesota ranks 28th in pass defense. The Vikings enter Week 14 with one of the most disruptive defenses in the league. Minnesota ranks fourth in pressure percentage (27%), second in total pressures (141), fourth in sacks (39) and leads the NFL in interceptions (18).
Cousins’ return to Minnesota could prove to be a long day if the Falcons offense doesn’t find a way to adjust. At the very least, Atlanta is hoping Cousins ends his three-game streak without a passing touchdown.
Bijan Robinson finally has 75 yards and a touchdown
The only Falcon to find the end zone in the last three games is sophomore running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson has scored all of Atlanta’s touchdowns in that span, hitting twice against the Saints and once again last week against the Chargers, while racking up 102 rushing yards in that game.
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Getting Robinson into rhythm hasn’t always been easy for the Falcons this season. Again, nothing has come easy for this offense. If Kirk Cousins can get the passing game going even slightly, it could help open up opportunities for Robinson down the field. However, it’s a tall order against a stout Vikings defense that ranks first in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing just 81.3 yards per game and just five rushing touchdowns all season .
Expecting another 100-yard performance from Robinson might be unrealistic in this game. A more likely outcome is around 75 yards and hopefully another touchdown to keep him as the Falcons’ only consistent threat.
The Falcons keep things close until the fourth quarter and lose to the Vikings because of Younghoe Koo’s missed field goals
There isn’t much to inspire confidence in the Falcons heading into this game. Even during their winning streaks earlier this season, their inconsistency has been glaring. The struggles are no longer limited to Kirk Cousins - they’re also impacting the usually reliable kicker Younghoe Koo. After missing just one field goal all of last season, Koo has now missed eight this year, becoming another concern for an already struggling team.
The motivation will certainly be there for Atlanta, especially with Cousins eager to prove himself against the team that opted not to re-sign him. The Falcons could remain competitive for a while, but the usual mistakes, like costly turnovers or a few missed Koo field goals, will likely resurface. Ultimately, these familiar problems may once again prove to be their undoing.
