Former Vikings QB Gets Big Opportunity to Turn Around Career
The Minnesota Vikings‘ 2025 campaign has been defined by quarterback issues, as the coaching staff is struggling to figure out a way to get wins with a combination of J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz filling in under center. After suffering a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football, the team may be ready to turn back to McCarthy under center.
Around the league, the Vikings will surely be keeping close tabs on one of their former starters, Kirk Cousins, who is now with the Atlanta Falcons. That’s because, after getting benched late last season in favor of Michael Penix Jr., Cousins has seen a major opportunity slide across his plate ahead of the team’s Week 8 action.
Kirk Cousins Set to Start for Falcons in Week 8
ESPN Sources: Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is “highly likely” to start Sunday’s game vs. the Dolphins as Michael Penix recovers from a bone bruise to his knee.
Penix was limited at practice all week and Cousins worked with the first-team offense, gearing up to start Sunday.
After spending six seasons as the Vikings’ starting quarterback, Cousins departed in free agency, signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the team. While the deal was already viewed as somewhat expensive, the situation became even more confusing when the Falcons promptly selected Penix with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Still, Cousins was Atlanta’s starting quarterback for the majority of last season. As the year went on, though, Cousins’s struggles became more and more amplified, and he ended up getting benched in favor of Penix for the final three games of the year. And even with Cousins having a massive contract to his name, Penix has remained the team’s starter to begin the 2025 campaign.
That has left Cousins serving as the most expensive backup quarterback in NFL history, as the Falcons seem to have no intention of moving on from him currently. Their plan to hold onto Cousins could end up becoming viewed as a smart one, though, because the veteran passer will draw the start under center in Week 8 with Penix unlikely to be able to go due to a knee injury.
“ESPN Sources: Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is ‘highly likely’ to start Sunday’s game vs. the Dolphins as Michael Penix recovers from a bone bruise to his knee,” Adam Schefter of ESPN shared in a post on X. “Penix was limited at practice all week and Cousins worked with the first-team offense, gearing up to start Sunday.”
Vikings Will Keep Close Tabs on Kirk Cousins’ Upcoming Start
The timing of Cousins’ first start of the season is a bit interesting. With the trade deadline right around the corner, if Cousins balls out, a team in need of a quarterback could potentially try to swing a trade with the Falcons to bring him to town. It’s also an important time for Atlanta, as a win in Week 8 would push its record back above .500.
With both McCarthy and Wentz struggling this season, some rumors linking the Vikings to a potential reunion with Cousins have begun to pop up, but the logistics of his massive contract obviously complicate the situation. Regardless, Minnesota will be keeping close tabs on Cousins to see how he fares, and if he wants any shot at reviving his career, he’s going to have to torch the Miami Dolphins‘ horrific defense when they take the field against the Falcons on Sunday.
NFL Honors Patrick Mahomes for Historic NFL Achievement Ahead of ‘MNF’
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes keeps on breaking records, as he continues setting the pace for a historic NFL career.
The league honored Mahomes’ most recent accomplishment on social media ahead of his team’s “Monday Night Football” showcase against the visiting Washington Commanders.
“Mahomes keeps making history,” the league captioned a graphic explaining that Mahomes’ 93 career wins before the age of 31 represents an NFL record.
The former holder of this mark was Peyton Manning, who claimed 92 regular-season victories with the Indianapolis Colts through his first nine professional seasons (144 games played). Manning turned 31 years old in March of 2007, approximately six months before the start of his 10th NFL campaign.
Mahomes eclipsed Manning’s once-historic milestone during his ninth season, though did so much faster, hitting 93 wins in just 119 starts. Mahomes turned 30 in September.
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Offense Back to Elite Status After Return of Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice
GettyKansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.
Mahomes entered the 2025 campaign with 89 regular-season victories, and the Chiefs captured their fourth win of the season in style last week against the Las Vegas Raiders via a shutout (31-0).
Kansas City’s Week 7 win represented the first time the Chiefs pulled above the .500 mark in what started off as a tumultuous year, but has straightened out following two losses to open the campaign against the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.
The team’s other loss came to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5. All three of Kansas City’s defeats have been by one score or less.
The Chiefs’ offense has slowly come back to life over the last several weeks as crucial players on the roster have returned to health and/or eligible playing status.
Mahomes now has wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice at his disposal, both of whom have contributed in various degrees to an average offensive output of 31.5 points per game over the past month.
Chiefs Big Favorites Over Commanders on “Monday Night Football” With QB Jayden Daniels Sidelined by Injury
GettyQuarterback Jayden Daniels will miss his third game of the season due to injury when the Washington Commanders take on the Kansas City Chiefs on “Monday Night Football.”
The Chiefs are poised to move to 5-3, entering Monday night’s home contest as a 10.5-point favorite over Washington, per ESPN BET. That line has jumped up a point since opening at Kansas City plus-9.5 at the beginning of the week.
A significant reason for the point spread is the absence of Commanders starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 and finished seventh in MVP voting following a Pro Bowl campaign.
Daniels suffered a hamstring strain last week against the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington chose to sideline him against Kansas City out of an abundance of caution in the hopes he can return to action fully healthy in Week 9.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs defense will get backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. Mariota has started two games this season (1-1), tallying 426 passing yards, three TDs and two INTs. He has also rushed for 94 yards and a score.
