This week, the Minnesota Vikings have prepared to take on an old friend returning to the Twin Cities.
Former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, now with the Atlanta Falcons, comes back to play in Minnesota for the first time since exiting. It also happens to be a big game for Cousins and the Falcons.
Aside from the return of Cousins to a familiar place, one of the other bigger storylines of the week was the health of starting cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Next to Byron Murphy, Gilmore has been the Vikings' best cornerback, overall, this season.
But, this week he has been battling a hamstring injury he suffered in the Week 13 win over the Arizona Cardinals and his status for this coming weekend against the Falcons had yet to be confirmed. Come Friday afternoon, though, it was officially announced that Gilmore would be out against Atlanta.
In 12 starts this year for the Vikings, Gilmore has allowed an opposing passer rating of only 86.7 per Pro Football Reference while giving up just two touchdowns on 69 targets. He has accumulated seven pass breakups and an interception, as well.
Fabian Moreau will be stepping in for Stephon Gilmore in Week 14
Without Gilmore on the field, the Vikings defense will most likely give veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau a shot to start. Last week, Moreau came in for Gilmore and wound up playing 27 coverage snaps and earned a coverage grade of only 39.3.
Moreau was targeted five times in the game against the Cardinals, allowing two receptions and one for a touchdown. Moreau was also flagged twice.
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Needless to say, he is going to have to put on a better showing agains the Falcons if he plans to do a sufficient job stepping in for Gilmore. Moreau will see the likes of weapons such as Drake London, former Bears wideout Darnell Mooney and tight end Kyle Pitts at times.
Moreau will also have to deal with the fact that Cousins is returning to a place he knows well, and on the heels of three losses in a row; losses which have seen the former Vikings quarterback throw zero touchdowns to six interceptions. This could be recipe for a Cousins revenge game.
Or, knowing Cousins, it could be the exact opposite. We really don't know what to expect as he's had an up-and-down season with Atlanta, thus far. We do know that Brian Flores will have his defense ready to go, actively pursuing Cousins and bothering him all day long.
Hopefully, that makes things a bit easier on Moreau in Gilmore's place.