(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Vikings had moved into position for
the go-ahead touchdown at Green Bay in the fourth quarter of their
Week 2 meeting, with first-and-goal inside the 10-yard line.
Then one regrettable off-balance throw by Kirk Cousins thwarted
their rally and seemingly threatened to cement his status as a
so-so quarterback who couldn’t be counted on in the most crucial
moments.
Cousins and the rest of the offense have made a resolute recovery
from the cringe-inducing decision and resulting end-zone
interception that essentially sealed a 21-16 victory for the
Packers. Finally, the Vikings have the opportunity to avenge that
damaging defeat when they host the rematch on Monday night. Having
clinched at least a wild-card spot in the playoffs, the Vikings can
also prevent their chief rivals from clinching the NFC North on
their home turf.
The Vikings and Packers will square off tonight on Monday Night Football at U.S. Bank Stadium.
In a testament to patience in this snap-judgment league, Cousins
and his runners, blockers and receivers have performed well enough
after an iffy September that scoring points and protecting the ball
have become the least of Minnesota’s problems. They’ve definitely
come a long way since that day in Green Bay.
”It’s hard going back and watching that tape. We’re so much better
as a football team, so much better of an offense than we were,”
tight end Kyle Rudolph said.
Cousins was picked off twice in that game while going 14 for 32 for
the second-worst completion percentage of his career, as the
Vikings fell behind 21-0 in the second quarter. Two weeks later,
they lost 16-6 at Chicago with a season-low 222 total yards as
Cousins was sacked a season-most six times.
Coupled with his regression during the second half of 2018 that
contributed to Minnesota missing the playoffs in his debut season,
the fully guaranteed $84 million contract the Vikings gave Cousins
was beginning to look like a liability. As it turned out, Cousins
just needed more time to settle in with the new system directed by
offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and designed by offensive
adviser Gary Kubiak.
The Vikings have averaged 29.4 points over the last 10 games, even
with star wide receiver Adam Thielen absent for about two-thirds of
that stretch. With a productive rushing attack as the foundation,
Stefanski has put Cousins in consistently favorable situations by
frequently using play-action, screen and rollout passes from under
center. That has set up several well-timed deep balls to Stefon
Diggs that Cousins has put in the right places for game-changing
gains.
”It’s always a work in progress, and I don’t really like putting
my stake in the ground and saying something or other about my
performance,” Cousins said, ”but I do think the longer you play,
the more comfortable you get in a system, the more comfortable you
get with teammates, the better you can make decisions in split
seconds as to whether to check the ball down or take the deep shot,
throw it away, avoid a sack.”
In his fifth full season as a starter, Cousins still lacks a
postseason win and has only a handful of victories on the road over
winning teams. He has, however, begun this year to slay a few of
those sports-talk-show-filler dragons with fourth-quarter
comebacks, night-game victories and a significant reduction of
turnovers.
Currently ranking in the top five in the league in completion
percentage, yards per attempt, passer rating and interception
percentage, Cousins has unquestionably produced the best season of
his career. Beating the Packers would be another notable
accomplishment.
”Hopefully he has a great game and hopefully we win, but it’s not
all on him,” coach Mike Zimmer said. ”We have 21 other players,
and they have to go out and execute just as much as he does.”
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has long admired Cousins. He was the
quarterbacks coach for Washington in Cousins’ first two years in
the league.
”If the play’s there, he’s making the play, period, every time,”
LaFleur said. ”He’s so accurate, and he’s extremely intelligent.
He knows what he’s looking for, and when he sees it there’s no
hesitation.”
LaFleur’s current pupil, Aaron Rodgers, has long displayed such
decisiveness, among many other elite attributes. With the Packers
relying more on the run these days and a collection of mostly
inexperienced receivers, Rodgers ranks behind Cousins in almost
every statistical measure this year. Still, he hasn’t thrown an
interception in eight straight games, and he has helped the Packers
reach the 11-win mark for the first time in five years.
”This is why we play the games, for times like these, to go on the
road in a hostile environment and have a chance to lock up the
North with a win,” Rodgers said. ”Everybody will be ready to
roll. ‘Monday Night Football’ adds a little extra to it, I’m sure.
It’s going to be one of those old-fashioned NFC North contests.”