Week 8 - at Green Bay Packers (First week Post-Kirk)
I am not going to name the team that makes a deal for Kirko Chainz before the deadline, but there is a franchise that plays in Atlanta that is just missing a competent quarterback to take them where they want to go.
After Cousins is traded, rookie Jaren Hall takes over as Minnesota's starting quarterback for the rest of the season.
On the road, at Lambeau, in your NFL debut is less than ideal for Hall, but it is an opportunity to show Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah that he's the right guy for the job.
For Minnesota, without Cousins, they end up not being able to keep up with a Packers team that has been up and down through the first five weeks of the 2023 regular season.
The Vikings' defense keeps them in this game, but in the end, in a matchup where they could've used an experienced quarterback (cough, cough... Kirk Cousins), Minnesota falls to 1-7, keeping themselves firmly in the Caleb Williams sweepstakes.
Prediction: Vikings lose (1-7)
Week 9 - at Atlanta Falcons
Could we see a Kirk Cousins revenge game? It is definitely a possibility, but even if Minnesota sees Desmond Ridder under center for the Falcons in this game, a win would be a tall task for the Vikings, especially with Justin Jefferson still out with his hamstring injury.
The Falcons are an above-average quarterback away from being a true contender in this league, with a dynamic duo at running back in the form of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier and the likes of Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Jonnu Smith in the passing game. These dirty birds are on the cusp.
In addition to their abundance of offensive weapons, Atlanta's defense has been one of the better units in football this season, creating a difficult hill for Jaren Hall to climb over.
In the end, the Falcons' rushing attack will be too much for the Vikings' defense. But don't be surprised if Minnesota keeps this one close.
Prediction: Vikings lose (1-8)