The Minnesota Vikings take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9 of the NFL season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 5. The Vikings defeated the Packers in Week 8 and saw quarterback Kirk Cousins get injured, and the Falcons fell to the Titans.
2023 NFL odds: Vikings vs. Falcons Week 9
Point spread: Falcons -1
Point total: 41.5
Moneyline: Falcons -115, Vikings -105
The Vikings (4-4) grabbed a 24-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 8, but quarterback Kirk Cousins left the game with a non-contact leg injury. If he is out, rookie backup Jaren Hall will come in to start against the Falcons. The Vikings are on a three-game winning streak after victories over the Bears and the 49ers, but the trajectory of their season could change in an instant depending on how severe this Cousins injury is.
The Falcons (4-4) benched Desmond Ridder for Taylor Heinicke today, but still couldn’t stop the Titans. Heinicke passed for 175 yards and a touchdown in the loss after coming in for Ridder, and the Atlanta defense struggled to defend against rookie Will Levis. Heinicke may be the starting quarterback in the future, at least for the time being.
If Cousins is out, the Vikings will not be able to cover this spread. The Falcons should start the veteran Heinicke to go up against the inexperienced Hall, and that matchup alone looks like a Falcons win. If Cousins is back in and at 100%, though, I like the Vikings to cover. Keep an eye on injury reports before betting on this game.