NFL.com's Tom P.: 'Ball comes off Cousin's hand differently'

[StickyBun]

Nice article talking about how Cousins' arm strength and ball is pleasantly surprising Viking WRs. Flip mentions his ability to 'drive the football' down the field, which is big.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000...ns-in-otas

[Guest]

Good find, good read.

My NFCCG hang-over is pretty much over now.

I have a feeling this is going to be a great era for Viking fans. 

[Guest]

@purplefaithful said:
Good find, good read.

My NFCCG hang-over is pretty much over now.

I have a feeling this is going to be a great era for Viking fans. 

I think this gives the team the stability and ability at QB to be a consistent contender, at least for a window of 2-3 years. You need that for a competitive NFCN division and then to make noise in the playoffs. 

Fast forward 3 years and if Cousins has a new contract with the Vikings, good things have happened. 

[Guest]

I'm too much a show me guy. Can't wait for pre-season to see how it looks. As for the "competent" oline I'm not sold there either. I still believe Case's exscapability last year made the oline look more competent. Much like Sams quick release in 2016 made the most of a terrible situation. If Kirk can use his snappy release along with a good pocket awareness we will be ok with a maybe less then competent line. Which is what I fear we really have.

[Guest]

@suncoastvike said:
I'm too much a show me guy. Can't wait for pre-season to see how it looks. As for the "competent" oline I'm not sold there either. I still believe Case's exscapability last year made the oline look more competent. Much like Sams quick release in 2016 made the most of a terrible situation. If Kirk can use his snappy release along with a good pocket awareness we will be ok with a maybe less then competent line. Which is what I fear we really have.

I've got OL jitters too...I've also learned there is just no such thing as a perfect team. Biggest set-up for me to be disappointed as a fan is to think we've got this in the bag and then lady luck or whatever happens.

I'm content with promise at this point in my fandom lol! 

[Guest]

Cousins should give us high level and consistent play from the most important position in the game. But it comes at a high cost - at least high for now. His contract may look more reasonable in a couple of years, but by then he will be in line for a new (bigger?) deal.  Two of the other better teams in the NFC (Philly and L.A.) have low cost QBs and are exploiting the advantages that brings.

Atlanta and Carolina, two more good NFC teams, are more like our situation.  Brees is giving N.O. a break on his salary, like Brady has done with N.E., in order to let his team compete. Finally, GB will soon, hopefully, have the most expensive QB in the NFL. Unfortunately, he is also so good he does not need very skilled players to be very productive.  (Where would you rank Cousins in comparison to Rodgers, Brady, Brees, Wentz, Ryan, Newton, Goff - I only included 1 AFC QB?)

The other key area where the Vikings have, and can maintain, high level performance and stability is in Zimmer and his coaching staff. I know we will lose coordinators regularly if we are successful, but that comes with being successful.  If you want to include Spielman and his group with Zimmer and the coaching staff, I would not argue with that. But Zimmer has been key in turning this franchise around. He should have the kind of job security that the very top coaches enjoy, even if he may not really be in their ranks (yet).  

[Guest]

Tom P. also mentioned Vikings like their early looks at Hughes and Holton Hill in the secondary. 

Hill stays off the weed (said he went into treatment in the offseason and feels great), they get a physical 6'2+" 200 lb CB with 4.48 speed as an UDFA.  

[Guest]

If hill has his head  on straight  that would  such a unexpected  bonus 

[Guest]