For many Minnesota Vikings fans, the return of quarterback Kirk Cousins to U.S. Bank Stadium will be bittersweet. In Week 14, the former starter for the purple and gold will be on the visiting side as a starter for the Atlanta Falcons.
Minnesota seems to be facing the Falcons at a great time. Atlanta is on a three-game losing streak after a hot start to the season and their most recent game against the L.A. Chargers was a very dissapointing outing for Cousins.
Despite those factors making Sunday's game look like it could be a one-sided affair, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is making it a point not to overlook the quarterback that Cousins can be.
Brian Flores shares why Vikings cannot underestimate Kirk Cousins on Sunday
Cousins had one of the worst games of his career last week against the Chargers. Kirk threw four interceptions on 39 pass attempts without throwing a touchdown. To make matters worse, the the last three games, he has thrown zero touchdowns to six interceptions.
Vikings fans know that Cousins can be an up and down quarterback. He can have an amazing game as easily as he can have one like he had last week. The 13-year veteran quarterback has overcome his fair share of struggles in his career and he could bounce back against Minnesota.
In a recent press conference posted on the Minnesota Vikings' official YouTube channel, defensive coordinator Brian Flores discussed the danger of underestimating a quarterback like Kirk Cousins on Sunday.
"“[Kirk Cousins is] a bounce-back type of guy, as we all know. So, I’m expecting his best. The best version of Kirk, the best version of that offense. It’s going to be a major challenge for us and we’re going to have to prepare the right way to have success against this group.”"Brian Flores via Minnesota Vikings
Preparing to face the best version of Kirk Cousins is wise. The Falcons are a team that has explosive weapons on offense and could be a danger to make a big play at any moment. Minnesota letting their guard down would be a huge mistake.
Considering that the Minnesota Vikings need a win to stay in the face for the NFC North with the Lions and Packers playing on Thursday Night Football, a win against the Falcons would be a great step toward putting the team in a good position heading into the playoffs.