11-19-2018, 06:28 PM
https://www.inforum.com/sports/football/921364-That-huge-Kirk-Cousins-contract-is-not-looking-like-money-well-spent-by-the-Vikings
That huge Kirk Cousins contract is not looking like money well spent by the Vikings
Ten games into their
season, the Minnesota Vikings look nothing like a Super Bowl team. The
huge contract that they handed to quarterback Kirk Cousins in free
agency during the offseason has not been money well spent.
Cousins
threw two interceptions Sunday night, Nov. 19, in Chicago, one of which
was returned for a key fourth-quarter touchdown in the Vikings' 25-20
loss to the Bears, which dropped Minnesota's record to 5-4-1.
It's
not all about Cousins. He actually has put up good numbers this season.
And the Vikings' biggest issue Sunday night was their inability to
block Bears defensive standouts Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks, not the
play of Cousins.
But it's a bottom-line
business. And the bottom line for Cousins and the Vikings is that they
reached the NFC championship game last season with Case Keenum at
quarterback, then said their farewell to him by signing Cousins to a
fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million contract. The only way for the
signing to be a success is for Cousins, a 4,000-yard passer in each of
the previous three seasons for the Washington Redskins, to take the
Vikings to the Super Bowl.
There's no
indication that's going to happen. The Vikings right now are not in the
class of the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams, the NFC's top
teams. They can't even keep pace with the Bears in the NFC North.
Chicago upped its record to 7-3 with the win.
"I thought Kirk Cousins would outplay [Bears quarterback] Mitch
Trubisky," former NFL coach Tony Dungy said at halftime on the NBC
telecast Sunday night. "That has not been the case."
Cousins
spoke during the week about the need to avoid committing turnovers
against a Chicago defense so adept at forcing them. He did not heed his
own words.
He threw an ugly interception
in the final seconds of the first half. While under pressure, Cousins
sailed a pass high over the head of tight end Kyle Rudolph and directly
into the hands of Bears safety Adrian Amos at the Chicago 8-yard line.
Then
in the fourth quarter, the Vikings trailed 14-6 when they got the ball
at their 11-yard line with a little more than 8:30 to play. Cousins's
pass toward wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was intercepted by Bears
safety Eddie Jackson, who sprinted to the end zone. The Bears added a
two-point conversion and pushed their advantage to 22-6.
The
Vikings managed to make things interesting from there, all the way
until an onside kick recovered by the Bears to seal the outcome in the
final minute. Cousins piled up some passing yardage late. He threw
touchdown passes in the final five minutes to wide receivers Aldrick
Robinson and Stefon Diggs and ended with 262 yards on 30-for-46 passing.
That's
not terrible. But, in truth, Cousins's biggest flaws were on display.
He couldn't get out of the way of the pass rush. And when crunchtime
arrived, he committed an ill-timed gaffe.
The
Vikings' season isn't over. Even if they can't overtake the Bears in
the division race, they have a chance at an NFC wild-card spot. But this
is a season in which much more was expected. Sneaking into the
postseason isn't enough. Even winning a playoff game or two and reaching
the NFC championship game isn't enough.
Cousins
was signed to be the final piece of a Super Bowl puzzle. It does not
appear he will be that. To whom $84 million is given, much is expected.
Cousins is finding that out.
This article was written by Mark Maske, a reporter for The Washington Post.
That huge Kirk Cousins contract is not looking like money well spent by the Vikings
Ten games into their
season, the Minnesota Vikings look nothing like a Super Bowl team. The
huge contract that they handed to quarterback Kirk Cousins in free
agency during the offseason has not been money well spent.
Cousins
threw two interceptions Sunday night, Nov. 19, in Chicago, one of which
was returned for a key fourth-quarter touchdown in the Vikings' 25-20
loss to the Bears, which dropped Minnesota's record to 5-4-1.
It's
not all about Cousins. He actually has put up good numbers this season.
And the Vikings' biggest issue Sunday night was their inability to
block Bears defensive standouts Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks, not the
play of Cousins.
But it's a bottom-line
business. And the bottom line for Cousins and the Vikings is that they
reached the NFC championship game last season with Case Keenum at
quarterback, then said their farewell to him by signing Cousins to a
fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million contract. The only way for the
signing to be a success is for Cousins, a 4,000-yard passer in each of
the previous three seasons for the Washington Redskins, to take the
Vikings to the Super Bowl.
There's no
indication that's going to happen. The Vikings right now are not in the
class of the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams, the NFC's top
teams. They can't even keep pace with the Bears in the NFC North.
Chicago upped its record to 7-3 with the win.
"I thought Kirk Cousins would outplay [Bears quarterback] Mitch
Trubisky," former NFL coach Tony Dungy said at halftime on the NBC
telecast Sunday night. "That has not been the case."
Cousins
spoke during the week about the need to avoid committing turnovers
against a Chicago defense so adept at forcing them. He did not heed his
own words.
He threw an ugly interception
in the final seconds of the first half. While under pressure, Cousins
sailed a pass high over the head of tight end Kyle Rudolph and directly
into the hands of Bears safety Adrian Amos at the Chicago 8-yard line.
Then
in the fourth quarter, the Vikings trailed 14-6 when they got the ball
at their 11-yard line with a little more than 8:30 to play. Cousins's
pass toward wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was intercepted by Bears
safety Eddie Jackson, who sprinted to the end zone. The Bears added a
two-point conversion and pushed their advantage to 22-6.
The
Vikings managed to make things interesting from there, all the way
until an onside kick recovered by the Bears to seal the outcome in the
final minute. Cousins piled up some passing yardage late. He threw
touchdown passes in the final five minutes to wide receivers Aldrick
Robinson and Stefon Diggs and ended with 262 yards on 30-for-46 passing.
That's
not terrible. But, in truth, Cousins's biggest flaws were on display.
He couldn't get out of the way of the pass rush. And when crunchtime
arrived, he committed an ill-timed gaffe.
The
Vikings' season isn't over. Even if they can't overtake the Bears in
the division race, they have a chance at an NFC wild-card spot. But this
is a season in which much more was expected. Sneaking into the
postseason isn't enough. Even winning a playoff game or two and reaching
the NFC championship game isn't enough.
Cousins
was signed to be the final piece of a Super Bowl puzzle. It does not
appear he will be that. To whom $84 million is given, much is expected.
Cousins is finding that out.
This article was written by Mark Maske, a reporter for The Washington Post.