Vikings Rule Out Reliable Veteran Starter
The Minnesota Vikings will host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday for the Week 14 matchup with the NFC South team. A rendezvous with the past is certainly the top storyline, considering Kirk Cousins’ six seasons as Minnesota’s QB1. He will wear Falcons colors in his return to U.S. Bank Stadium.
Vikings Rule Out Reliable Veteran Starter
Cousins needs a strong bounceback game after three consecutive stinkers to prevent the Falcons from turning to rookie QB Michael Penix Jr.
That is easier said than done against one of the league’s top defenses that is constantly bringing the pressure. The good news for Cousins is that Brian Flores’s defense will be shorthanded in the secondary as starting cornerback Stephon Gilmore has been ruled out by head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Asked whether Gilmore was still on the expected timeline, O’Connell said, “Yes, it was always something that you kind of hold your fingers crossed just in case he can get a limited day in and possibly available, but he’s right on schedule with what we probably thought he would be and we’ll see what next week looks like.”
Gilmore missed all three major practices from Wednesday through Friday and will not suit up on Sunday because of the hamstring injury suffered last weekend against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Vikings will likely once again rely on veteran backup Fabian Moreau to fill Gilmore’s spot next to Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin. Moreau played 31 of his 32 defensive snaps in 2024 on Sunday. Early on, it seemed like the Cardinals and Kyler Murray targeted him, but he played better as the game continued.
Perhaps primed for his NFL debut is undrafted rookie Dwight McGlothern, who shined in the preseason and earned a roster spot over guys like Andrew Booth Jr. He would be the younger option on the outside but has not played in an NFL game. Moreau, meanwhile, has played in 111 contests (56 starts) and registered 4,277 defensive snaps over the years.
Gilmore has been a fantastic addition. He joined the club in August when there were some serious questions about the starting group and the depth in the cornerback room. The former Defensive Player of the Year is clearly past his prime at the age of 34, but he is still an effective player in coverage and in the running game.
His clutch interception sealed the deal against the New York Jets in London, and he has added 47 tackles and seven pass defenses to the stat sheet. Gilmore has played 678 downs for Minnesota’s defense in the 2024 campaign.
In addition to Gilmore’s update, O’Connell stated that Andrew DePaola and Will Reichard will likely be back in the lineup for their first game after four-week absences on IR.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt