GQ Ariticle: Kirk Cousins might never get it

TBroTBro Posts: 1,238Jarl
This is a great article and sums up exactly how I'm feeling about this season. 

https://www.gq.com/story/kirk-cousins-might-never-get-it

If you don't have any interest in clicking on the link, this pretty much sums up this enigma of a season better than anything else I've read.

We’re at the point in the NFL season where we know basically what every team is. The Saints and Chiefs are offensive juggernauts. The Packers are a mess. The Chargers are frauds. The Steelers are rounding into Steelers-like form, as they always do. The Jaguars suck. The Bears are the new Eagles. The Eagles are the new toilet. And the Minnesota Vikings are a talented team that pathologically commits HORRIBLE turnovers and spends entire games frantically trying to clean up their own messes. They are infuriating and they are, in every way, emblematic of the quarterback they gave $84 million to this offseason.


njvike

Comments

  • KentisKentis Posts: 4,579Jarl
    GQ, what they don’t like the way he dresses...?  B) 
    1VikesFanRalphiesuncoastvikeprairieghost

  • RalphieRalphie Posts: 2,266Jarl
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.

        

  • suncoastvikesuncoastvike Posts: 2,258Jarl
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    I find myself coming back to this notion time and time again this season. Maybe it's his sudden passing that makes me keep thinking of him. When he was our coach I was always angry with him. Now I think he was just 20 years before his time. He would be kill'en it in today's NFL. He did know how to attack. With these new rules he would score 600 points in a season with some of his teams.
    RalphiekmillardIowa68
    ''A successful coach needs a patient wife, loyal dog, and a great quarterback ~ and not necessarily in that order''


  • purplefaithfulpurplefaithful Posts: 17,164King
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    JimmyinSDHappyViking1VikesFan
    The 4 stages of a Viking Fans Season; Hope during the offseason, Increased hope during the season, Dagger your hopes in the postseason, Rinse & Repeat...
  • medaillemedaille Posts: 2,171Jarl

    That’s a nice message board rant disguised as an online magazine article.  The Vikings hit him right in the feels apparently.

  • JimmyinSDJimmyinSD Posts: 17,225King
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    I think people remember the Denny that they want to and not the entire Denny experience when they look back so fondly,  I remember pulling my hair out at times with the decisions he made both offensively and as a head coach. (both on and off the field.  CC and Moss made Denny much more than anything Denny did in terms of play calling and game planning IMO.
    Why isnt Chuck Foreman in the hall of fame?





  • purplefaithfulpurplefaithful Posts: 17,164King
    edited November 2018
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
     CC and Moss made Denny much more than anything Denny did in terms of play calling and game planning IMO.
    Not to mention Steussie/McDaniel/Big K/Christy/Dixon
    RalphieJimmyinSDpikvikesVanguard83
    Post edited by purplefaithful on
    The 4 stages of a Viking Fans Season; Hope during the offseason, Increased hope during the season, Dagger your hopes in the postseason, Rinse & Repeat...
  • RalphieRalphie Posts: 2,266Jarl
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
     CC and Moss made Denny much more than anything Denny did in terms of play calling and game planning IMO.
    Not to mention Steussie/McDaniel/Big K/Christy/Dixon

    We used to have an offensive line, didn't we...(sigh).... :(
    JimmyinSDpurplefaithfulsuncoastvike

        

  • suncoastvikesuncoastvike Posts: 2,258Jarl
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    I think people remember the Denny that they want to and not the entire Denny experience when they look back so fondly,  I remember pulling my hair out at times with the decisions he made both offensively and as a head coach. (both on and off the field.  CC and Moss made Denny much more than anything Denny did in terms of play calling and game planning IMO.
    I was a Denny basher as well. Like him or not he is in my mind the 2nd most consistent coach we've had. Only one losing season. 8 playoff appearances in 11 years. He started out winning with defense if you remember. Then built a record setting offense. If we had him and that offense today with these rules... That's my point.
    I'm not just waxing nostalgic here. He was a pretty decent coach who never did what ANY Viking coach did before or after. Win a championship. Lets judge him on that. He right behind Bud...imo.
    RalphieDeepFreeze05
    ''A successful coach needs a patient wife, loyal dog, and a great quarterback ~ and not necessarily in that order''


  • njvikenjvike Posts: 374Karl
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
     CC and Moss made Denny much more than anything Denny did in terms of play calling and game planning IMO.
    Not to mention Steussie/McDaniel/Big K/Christy/Dixon
    Other than McDaniel and Carter, didn't Denny bring in everyone else mentioned? 

    And for the record, I've never understood the whole Da-knee thing. Fans must have forgotten what happened right before halftime in that same game. Think that Falcons TD due to a Vikings turnover in their own territory had an impact on the outcome of the game? I was glad they did it. The team was shellshocked and Cunningham was playing like shit. I have NO doubt whatsoever that had they gone into a 2 minute drill, a pick 6 or fumble return for a TD would have been the result. It was their destiny
    SIGH....HERE WE GO AGAIN. NOW IT'S SHPIELMAN'S 14TH YEAR IN CHARGE OF PLAYER PERSONNEL AND STILL ONLY 2 FA QB-LED PLAYOFF WINS TO SHOW FOR IT. BUT, HEY!! AFTER SPENDING 3 1st ROUND DRAFT PICKS AND 5 TOTAL DRAFT PICKS BETWEEN 4/2011 and 9/2016 ON 3 QUARTERBACKS, NONE OF THEM ARE ON THE CURRENT ROSTER, NONE OF THEM ARE STARTERS IN THE NFL, AND TWO ARE NOT EVEN ON A ROSTER AS OF February 10, 2019! YEAH, LET'S TRUST THAT GUY TO "FIX" THE VIKINGS. BWAA-haa-haa-haa-haa-haa-haa! 
  • 1VikesFan1VikesFan Posts: 2,750Jarl
    edited November 2018
     As@"purplefaithful" said:
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    To this day I call him DaKnee 
    Post edited by 1VikesFan on
    Welcome to the O'Connell era.
  • suncoastvikesuncoastvike Posts: 2,258Jarl
    Yeah I understand the hate. I really hated being in the playoffs every year too. Guess what you can't win it all if you can even get in either. Denny is better you guys are giving credit. He had more playoff appearances (8) in his 11 seasons then (6) in the last 16. Wow let it go.
    DeepFreeze05kmillard
    ''A successful coach needs a patient wife, loyal dog, and a great quarterback ~ and not necessarily in that order''


  • njvikenjvike Posts: 374Karl
     As@"purplefaithful" said:
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    To this day I call him DaKnee 
    And to this day, you're wrong. 

    If they had run out the clock/taken "Da-knee" at the end of the 2nd quarter, different game. But they DID NOT, and the subsequent turnover gave Atlanta a cheap 7 points right before halftime. 

    The team was totally bewildered after "guaranteed" Anderson shanked it, followed by the Falcons march to tie, highlighted by Griffin's CHOKE/DROP of a GAME ENDING, NFC CHAMPIONSHIP CLINCHING interception. 

    The team was OBVIOUSLY shaken. There was no way they would have performed at mid-season form at THAT point in the game. A turnover was almost pre-determined at that point. 

    I disagreed with many of Green's decisions. That was not one of them, given the circumstances and location. 
    DeepFreeze05Mike Olson
    SIGH....HERE WE GO AGAIN. NOW IT'S SHPIELMAN'S 14TH YEAR IN CHARGE OF PLAYER PERSONNEL AND STILL ONLY 2 FA QB-LED PLAYOFF WINS TO SHOW FOR IT. BUT, HEY!! AFTER SPENDING 3 1st ROUND DRAFT PICKS AND 5 TOTAL DRAFT PICKS BETWEEN 4/2011 and 9/2016 ON 3 QUARTERBACKS, NONE OF THEM ARE ON THE CURRENT ROSTER, NONE OF THEM ARE STARTERS IN THE NFL, AND TWO ARE NOT EVEN ON A ROSTER AS OF February 10, 2019! YEAH, LET'S TRUST THAT GUY TO "FIX" THE VIKINGS. BWAA-haa-haa-haa-haa-haa-haa! 
  • DeepFreeze05DeepFreeze05 Posts: 235Thrall
    edited November 2018
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
      CC and Moss made Denny much more than anything Denny did in terms of play calling and game planning IMO.
    What's pretty amazing is in eight playoff appearances, Green had six different QBs leading the team into the playoffs, they were Rich Gannon, Jim McMahan, Warren Moon, Brad Johnson, Randall Cunningham (NFC Championship), and Daunte Culpepper (NFC Championship).

    His record coming off of a bye week was also impressive as his record was 7-2.  1996 was his team's first loss when they narrowly lost to the Chicago Bears 15-13, and would not lose again until Green's last year in 2001.

    CC had been in the league four years prior to Green's tenure.  As a Viking in 1990, he had 413 yards & 3TDs; 1991: 962 yards & 5TDs; and 1992 (Green's first year): 681 & 6TDs.
    njvikeRalphiekmillardpikvikes
    Post edited by DeepFreeze05 on
  • 1VikesFan1VikesFan Posts: 2,750Jarl
    @njvike said:
     As@"purplefaithful" said:
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    To this day I call him DaKnee 
    And to this day, you're wrong. 

    If they had run out the clock/taken "Da-knee" at the end of the 2nd quarter, different game. But they DID NOT, and the subsequent turnover gave Atlanta a cheap 7 points right before halftime. 

    The team was totally bewildered after "guaranteed" Anderson shanked it, followed by the Falcons march to tie, highlighted by Griffin's CHOKE/DROP of a GAME ENDING, NFC CHAMPIONSHIP CLINCHING interception. 

    The team was OBVIOUSLY shaken. There was no way they would have performed at mid-season form at THAT point in the game. A turnover was almost pre-determined at that point. 

    I disagreed with many of Green's decisions. That was not one of them, given the circumstances and location. 
    That's what great about this place we can agree to disagree...respectfully.  I will always feel like he threw in the towel.
    njvikeRalphie
    Welcome to the O'Connell era.
  • njvikenjvike Posts: 374Karl
    @njvike said:
     As@"purplefaithful" said:
    @Ralphie said:
    F*** GQ.  But as an organization, not since Denny's teams have I seen a killer, go-for-it attitude.  Certainly not this year.
    When it mattered a lot? 

    The Sheriff took a knee...
    To this day I call him DaKnee 
    And to this day, you're wrong. 

    If they had run out the clock/taken "Da-knee" at the end of the 2nd quarter, different game. But they DID NOT, and the subsequent turnover gave Atlanta a cheap 7 points right before halftime. 

    The team was totally bewildered after "guaranteed" Anderson shanked it, followed by the Falcons march to tie, highlighted by Griffin's CHOKE/DROP of a GAME ENDING, NFC CHAMPIONSHIP CLINCHING interception. 

    The team was OBVIOUSLY shaken. There was no way they would have performed at mid-season form at THAT point in the game. A turnover was almost pre-determined at that point. 

    I disagreed with many of Green's decisions. That was not one of them, given the circumstances and location. 
    That's what great about this place we can agree to disagree...respectfully.  I will always feel like he threw in the towel.
    I can understand that opinion, given the Vikings' record setting season,  but at that particular point in the game, after the halftime fuck up and the late 4th quarter choke job, discretion was the better part of valor.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
    Ralphie
    SIGH....HERE WE GO AGAIN. NOW IT'S SHPIELMAN'S 14TH YEAR IN CHARGE OF PLAYER PERSONNEL AND STILL ONLY 2 FA QB-LED PLAYOFF WINS TO SHOW FOR IT. BUT, HEY!! AFTER SPENDING 3 1st ROUND DRAFT PICKS AND 5 TOTAL DRAFT PICKS BETWEEN 4/2011 and 9/2016 ON 3 QUARTERBACKS, NONE OF THEM ARE ON THE CURRENT ROSTER, NONE OF THEM ARE STARTERS IN THE NFL, AND TWO ARE NOT EVEN ON A ROSTER AS OF February 10, 2019! YEAH, LET'S TRUST THAT GUY TO "FIX" THE VIKINGS. BWAA-haa-haa-haa-haa-haa-haa! 
  • vikingknightsvikingknights Posts: 93Thrall
    @Kentis said:
    GQ, what they don’t like the way he dresses...?  B) 
    How can anybody like the way the Vikings dress? Who wears brown shoes and brown shoes with no socks? The Vikings play the way they dress. Shitty!  I still say the Vikings need a dressing coach, swee'pea.

    Fashions fade, but style is eternal.
    Kentis
    When you deal with Knights, you deal with superior intelligence.
  • MarkSP18MarkSP18 Posts: 947Karl
    It is an interesting dynamic when the QB is getting paid a ton of money.  The expectations seem to grow a ton as well.

    Are they realistic though?  I would say they are but there is more to it than just turnovers.

    Here is an article that sums up pretty good what Cousins has faced this season ...


    Entering the 12th week of the season, the Vikings have reached a critical juncture as it pertains to the strength of their offensive line. It’s an issue the team can no longer hide from. The Vikings' decision to not prioritize the line in free agency and the draft is one major area leading to deficiencies across the board, from what Cousins is being asked to do in the constant face of pressure to the team’s inability to generate an explosive ground game.

    The Vikings have been held under 25 rushing yards twice this season – which led to losses against the Bills and the Bears. According to ESPN Stats and Information, that’s only happened once in the previous 21 seasons combined.

    Vikings rushers have been first contacted at or behind the of scrimmage on 43.6 percent of their rushes this season, which is the highest rate in the NFL. Against the Bears they were first hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on seven of their 14 rushes. They averaged a season-low 0.64 yards per rush before contact in that game.

    Moreover, Cousins ranks towards the top of all QBs on the amount of times he has had to throw under duress. Against Chicago, the Vikings O-line allowed 17 pressures, which was the most of any team in Week 11, according to Pro Football Focus.

    So to sum it up, the Vikings offensive line is not only NOT pass blocking, they are also NOT run blocking.  One of the strengths of Cousins before he signed here was his passing on play action passes.  It is highly doubtful that defenses are worried about play action fakes with this atrocious running game.

    Cousins does have turnovers for sure.  But when you compare him to some other QBs it really is not too out of the ordinary.

    Cousins has 19 TDs and 7 INTs.  He has 6 fumbles (I don't count the backward passes that are credited to him aas fumbles) and all 6 have been lost which is bad luck really.

    Brady has 17 TDs and 7 INTs.  He has 4 fumbles and 2 have been lost.

    Roethlisberger has 23 TDs and 10 INTs.  He has 6 fumbles and 2 have been lost.

    I think the biggest problem is that they have not been fortunate to recover his fumbles which almost every time is due to a large defender hitting him from behind.  Kind of hard to hang onto the ball in those situations as Mahomes proved Monday night.

    When Cousins fumbled after getting hit from behind by Jerry Hughes of the Bills, not many folks said anything about the terrible job Reiff (who has an 11 mil plus cap hit this year) did on that play.

    It just comes back to Cousins.

    All things considered, Cousins has done a pretty dang good job.  The offense is still getting on the same page as everyone is new to this offense.  They have 10 games now playing in JDF's offense.  A lot of his picks are anticipatory throws.  That is how this offense works.  He has to throw the ball BEFORE the receiver makes their cut and if they are not on the same page then it will be ugly.

    I suppose it would be better if Cousins just took sacks instead of throwing it to a spot where he expects the receiver to be.

    If the gosh dang kicker could make just one field goal they would be 6-4 now.

    In the end, until this offensive line plays better then it is going to be tough sledding as defenses are sitting on Diggs and Thielen and forcing somebody else to beat them.  The Vikings do not have that somebody else.

    comet52Kentis
  • comet52comet52 Posts: 2,262Jarl
    @MarkSP18 said:
    It is an interesting dynamic when the QB is getting paid a ton of money.  The expectations seem to grow a ton as well.

    Are they realistic though?  I would say they are but there is more to it than just turnovers.

    Here is an article that sums up pretty good what Cousins has faced this season ...


    Entering the 12th week of the season, the Vikings have reached a critical juncture as it pertains to the strength of their offensive line. It’s an issue the team can no longer hide from. The Vikings' decision to not prioritize the line in free agency and the draft is one major area leading to deficiencies across the board, from what Cousins is being asked to do in the constant face of pressure to the team’s inability to generate an explosive ground game.

    The Vikings have been held under 25 rushing yards twice this season – which led to losses against the Bills and the Bears. According to ESPN Stats and Information, that’s only happened once in the previous 21 seasons combined.

    Vikings rushers have been first contacted at or behind the of scrimmage on 43.6 percent of their rushes this season, which is the highest rate in the NFL. Against the Bears they were first hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on seven of their 14 rushes. They averaged a season-low 0.64 yards per rush before contact in that game.

    Moreover, Cousins ranks towards the top of all QBs on the amount of times he has had to throw under duress. Against Chicago, the Vikings O-line allowed 17 pressures, which was the most of any team in Week 11, according to Pro Football Focus.

    So to sum it up, the Vikings offensive line is not only NOT pass blocking, they are also NOT run blocking.  One of the strengths of Cousins before he signed here was his passing on play action passes.  It is highly doubtful that defenses are worried about play action fakes with this atrocious running game.

    Cousins does have turnovers for sure.  But when you compare him to some other QBs it really is not too out of the ordinary.

    Cousins has 19 TDs and 7 INTs.  He has 6 fumbles (I don't count the backward passes that are credited to him aas fumbles) and all 6 have been lost which is bad luck really.

    Brady has 17 TDs and 7 INTs.  He has 4 fumbles and 2 have been lost.

    Roethlisberger has 23 TDs and 10 INTs.  He has 6 fumbles and 2 have been lost.

    I think the biggest problem is that they have not been fortunate to recover his fumbles which almost every time is due to a large defender hitting him from behind.  Kind of hard to hang onto the ball in those situations as Mahomes proved Monday night.

    When Cousins fumbled after getting hit from behind by Jerry Hughes of the Bills, not many folks said anything about the terrible job Reiff (who has an 11 mil plus cap hit this year) did on that play.

    It just comes back to Cousins.

    All things considered, Cousins has done a pretty dang good job.  The offense is still getting on the same page as everyone is new to this offense.  They have 10 games now playing in JDF's offense.  A lot of his picks are anticipatory throws.  That is how this offense works.  He has to throw the ball BEFORE the receiver makes their cut and if they are not on the same page then it will be ugly.

    I suppose it would be better if Cousins just took sacks instead of throwing it to a spot where he expects the receiver to be.

    If the gosh dang kicker could make just one field goal they would be 6-4 now.

    In the end, until this offensive line plays better then it is going to be tough sledding as defenses are sitting on Diggs and Thielen and forcing somebody else to beat them.  The Vikings do not have that somebody else.

    Post of the year.  Winning in the NFL has always started with line play and our oline is awful.  Cousins is constantly under duress, I don't care care who the qb is, you can't win like that.  I watched Tennessee put that sort of pressure on Brady and beat New England like a drum.  I'm amazed we aren't a sub .500 team at this point...  probably because the D has found itself after some early season issues.
  • Maple SurpleMaple Surple Posts: 606Karl
    “ We’re at the point in the NFL season where we know basically what every team is. “

    True that we know the Rams, Saints & Chiefs are red hot...right now

    I would much rather hit full stride a little later

    DeepFreeze05
  • TBroTBro Posts: 1,238Jarl
    edited November 2018
    “ We’re at the point in the NFL season where we know basically what every team is. “

    True that we know the Rams, Saints & Chiefs are red hot...right now

    I would much rather hit full stride a little later

    Outside of Thielen and Diggs, we have nothing else that is working on offense and teams seem to be doing a better job of taking those two away now that they have more film of Flip's offense. As much as I blame Spielman for the state of our offensive line, I think I put even more blame on Flip and his scheme whatever that even is. By week 12, we should be seeing an offense running on all cylinders. That has yet to happen. We have not developed a consistent 3rd WR who can put pressure on defenses, especially when they continue to force reps to Treadwell. We have completely ignored Rudy and the TE position in the passing game, and we don't seem to understand how to use Cook. Running him time and time again between the tackles is absolutely foolish. He needs to get the ball in space. That is how he was used in College and that is how he should be used in this scheme. Shurmur was way more creative in using the pieces he had to cobble together an effective offense. I have yet to see that with Flip and we are running out of time. 
    Post edited by TBro on
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