ARE THE VIKINGS IN A QUARTERBACK TRAP?

There is a lot in that tryst I don't agree with - including signing EG for the $ they did was a good idea.

And I am not convinced Cousins doesn't have the chance to be one of the better QB's we've had here since Bert. Not many QB's are going to look even decent behind that OL RS and Zimmer fielded. 

So many already tossing dirt on the Cousins era, so many I hope end-up looking foolish. 

@"purplefaithful" said: There is a lot in that tryst I don't agree with - including signing EG for the $ they did was a good idea.

And I am not convinced Cousins doesn't have the chance to be one of the better QB's we've had here since Bert. Not many QB's are going to look even decent behind that OL RS and Zimmer fielded. 

So many already tossing dirt on the Cousins era, so many I hope end-up looking foolish. 

Unfortunately, I just see a very mediocre QB with a pretty decent arm for the long ball.  The guy can't scrample worth a crap, fumbles like he's holding a greased pig, and just doesn't come up clutch in those close games we're losing.  Give him an All-Pro supporting roster of OL, RB, and WRs and he may get your team to the playoffs like planned, but how many other (and less expessive) NFL QBs could do the same?  I'd say most of them.

I'll believe Cousins is the answer when I see it.  I'm rooting for him, but he doesn't seem to win against tough teams (never has).  Because of high expectations, he's #1 on my most disappointing players list from last season (I just made that up; I really don't have that list).  ;)

Yeah, he can throw for fairly high yards; decent amount of TDs, but he's never won more than 9 games in a season.  That's the stat that matters most.  Want fans to support Cousins?  Then Cousins needs to lead the team to wins.

I just hope he isn't just one more pony on the Quarterback Carrousel that we've been stuck on.

@"purplefaithful" said: There is a lot in that tryst I don't agree with - including signing EG for the $ they did was a good idea.

And I am not convinced Cousins doesn't have the chance to be one of the better QB's we've had here since Bert. Not many QB's are going to look even decent behind that OL RS and Zimmer fielded. 

So many already tossing dirt on the Cousins era, so many I hope end-up looking foolish. 

Agreed.  The hatred towards Cousins is palpable in that piece.  Calling Cousins a "journeyman" yet  calling Bridgewater and Keenum "veteran talent" is laughable.  While Keenum's year was magical, his ceiling was limited, and he'll be playing for his fifth team in seven years.  And Teddy is a backup to a HOF QB.
Holding Cousins accountable for his play is fair game but the continued hatred for him signing his contract is getting really, really old and petty.

Cousins is a QB who needs a good supporting cast to win a Super Bowl, like 30 or 31 other starting QBs in the NFL. We needed an upgrade at QB (Keenum was fool's gold), he was available and we signed him to market price, and for now anyway, we've been able to keep the foundation of a very strong roster in place. The pieces are there for him to win a Super Bowl. And if he does all of this talk goes away. And if he doesn't, we move on a try again. I don't get all the hand-wringing. 

This is what happens when you ignore the offensive line and it comes back and bites you in the ass when you take a big swing like Minnesota did with Cousins. 

@"StickyBun" said: This is what happens when you ignore the offensive line and it comes back and bites you in the ass when you take a big swing like Minnesota did with Cousins. 

Exactly

@"StickyBun" said: This is what happens when you ignore the offensive line and it comes back and bites you in the ass when you take a big swing like Minnesota did with Cousins. 

the question is if it takes a big swing and a lot of money to put a QB in a position to win a SB.... how much value is there actually in that QB in relation to the guys at the lower end of that pay spectrum?   Could Teddy or another bargin bin guy get it done for less with a quality line in front of them?   I dont care what the market is,  if those high dollar guys arent winning championships they arent worth the money.  I would rather have a quality team overall than glaring holes at some positions,  razor thin depth,  and a constant battle for cap space because of over paying at one position.   No matter how the next 2 years plays out,  our QB spending has get brought under control.   Start taking a QB in the first 2 days of the draft every year,  and dont quit taking QB until you have 2 or 3 real starting candidates on the roster.

Another point was during the 2018 draft, the Vikings were set to start adding pieces to better the offensive line.  But we all seen the run on offensive linemen in that first round of the draft.  For the Vikings, picking in the 30th spot left the cupboards bare.  With the except of O'Neil taken in the second run, but was still considered a project at the time.

@"HappyViking" said:

@"StickyBun" said: This is what happens when you ignore the offensive line and it comes back and bites you in the ass when you take a big swing like Minnesota did with Cousins. 

To be fair, they just came off a 13-3 season, and thought a "great" QB was all that was needed on offense.  They added Cousins, and found out: a) Cousins isn't "great" b) The entire team wasn't as good as they thought. (players and coaches)

p.s. If the Viking's offensive line is putrid AGAIN this season, what a colossal waste of cap money and Cousins's prime years. 

@"StickyBun" said: p.s. If the Viking's offensive line is putrid AGAIN this season, what a colossal waste of cap money and Cousins's prime years. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: p.s. If the Viking's offensive line is putrid AGAIN this season, what a colossal waste of cap money and Cousins's prime years. 

that could be said about many of the teams players.  I cant recall when the team ever had so many quality players in their prime at the same time since the early years.

@"StickyBun" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: p.s. If the Viking's offensive line is putrid AGAIN this season, what a colossal waste of cap money and Cousins's prime years. 

that could be said about many of the teams players.  I cant recall when the team ever had so many quality players in their prime at the same time since the early years.

There's just one guy that has a fully guaranteed contract, the first of its kind in NFL history. Some fans may not want to admit it, but the Cousins signing is teetering on the precipice of full blown failure....and a chunk isn't Cousins' fault. No excuses this season.

Y'know...

...I see the line about "needing a supporting cast", and I just shake my head.  EVERY QB needs at least a passable supporting cast to excel.  Do Cunningham/Johnson turn in the '98 season without the line plus Smith/Carter/Moss/Reed?  Does Favre have his last heroic season without AD/CT/Rice/Harvin and decent o-line play?  Brady has had Gronk and Edelman, Erin has had Jordy and others, and so on.

Does Cousins fumble as much if he'd had even mediocre protection?  Our line was rated so badly that even a 10-place improvement barely gets them into the teens, ranking-wise.

I see these articles about Cousins needing supporting players, and I can't name one good QB that wasn't at least partially a product of his supporting cast.  For people to single him out for that is bizarre.

I'll never claim he's perfect, and this season is a massive "step up or shut up" time for him...but the lengths some people go to in order to s**t on him are just whacked.

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"StickyBun" said: p.s. If the Viking's offensive line is putrid AGAIN this season, what a colossal waste of cap money and Cousins's prime years. 

that could be said about many of the teams players.  I cant recall when the team ever had so many quality players in their prime at the same time since the early years.

There's just one guy that has a fully guaranteed contract, the first of its kind in NFL history. Some fans may not want to admit it, but the Cousins signing is teetering on the precipice of full blown failure....and a chunk isn't Cousins' fault. No excuses this season.

i dont think there are too many that are going to say its on Cousins.  He had a few WTF moments last year,  but the shell shocking he took at times from opposing defenses getting home quickly, without having to bring more than 4,  was certainly an indicator of where the failure was stemming from.  As far as players wasting players in their prime as well as cap space... again that could be said about a lot of players on the team if they arent going be able to protect better and run the ball more efficiently early in the games.

@"StickyBun" said: This is what happens when you ignore the offensive line and it comes back and bites you in the ass when you take a big swing like Minnesota did with Cousins. 

@"Ralphie" said:

@"purplefaithful" said: There is a lot in that tryst I don't agree with - including signing EG for the $ they did was a good idea.

And I am not convinced Cousins doesn't have the chance to be one of the better QB's we've had here since Bert. Not many QB's are going to look even decent behind that OL RS and Zimmer fielded. 

So many already tossing dirt on the Cousins era, so many I hope end-up looking foolish. 

Agreed.  The hatred towards Cousins is palpable in that piece.  Calling Cousins a "journeyman" yet  calling Bridgewater and Keenum "veteran talent" is laughable.  While Keenum's year was magical, his ceiling was limited, and he'll be playing for his fifth team in seven years.  And Teddy is a backup to a HOF QB.
Holding Cousins accountable for his play is fair game but the continued hatred for him signing his contract is getting really, really old and petty.

This will be Cousin's eighth season in the NFL; fifth as a starter.  His best season (four years ago) was 9-7, and he's only won that many once.  Sadly, I fully expect to see 8-8 or at best 9-7 for 2019.