Kirk Cousins Leads Vikings to Victory With Brilliant Performance in Primetime

Cousins was simply phenomenal against the 49ers on Monday Night Football.

Will Ragatz | Oct 24, 2023

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Minnesota Vikings

If that wasn't the best game of Kirk Cousins' career, it certainly isn't far behind.

The raw numbers were great: 35 of 45 (77.8 percent) for 378 yards, two touchdowns, and one pick. But that's nothing he hasn't done before in his nine seasons as a starter. What made this such a brilliant Cousins performance was how he did it — and who he did it against.

The Vikings came into Monday's game against the 49ers as seven-point underdogs at home, a disappointing 2-4 team facing an elite Super Bowl contender. San Francisco boasts one of the NFL's best defenses, featuring first-team All-Pros Nick Bosa and Fred Warner and Talanoa Hufanga among numerous other standouts.

Cousins absolutely shredded them.

After an interception on the game's third play from scrimmage, he was nearly flawless the rest of the way, executing Kevin O'Connell's game plan almost to perfection. Cousins was poised in the pocket, stepping up to avoid pressure when needed. He read the entire field, made good decisions, and delivered the ball with accuracy to whoever was open, connecting with nine different players on his 35 completions.

There's plenty of credit to go around for the Vikings' 452-yard offensive explosion against the 49ers. Cousins wasn't sacked once, which was largely due to a fantastic night from his entire offensive line. O'Connell's calls and designs were outstanding. For just the second time this season, Cousins' targets didn't drop a single pass — and breakout rookie Jordan Addison helped out his QB on what could've been a second pick right before halftime.

But Cousins gets typically the biggest slice of blame when the Vikings lose, so he deserves the lion's share of credit for this win. This was quarterback play of the highest level. On Monday Night Football, when he allegedly never shows up (a narrative that has always been fairly baseless). Against an elite defense. Cousins' performance was the single biggest reason why the Vikings shocked the nation in a 22-17 victory that has their season back on track.

"Kirk Cousins was absolutely fantastic tonight in critical moments, time after time," O'Connell said. "Progressing, seeing the whole field, and absolutely dialed in in every phase of our game plan. ... (I could talk) for the next 35, 40 minutes about the way he played individual plays where he was overcoming some circumstances, moving within the pocket, trusting the protection, and seeing the whole field. Against that team, that's big-time quarterback play in my mind."

That was one of the best games
Kirk Cousins has played in six years with the Vikings. He had it all going: Poise, pocket movement, decision-making, accuracy. Incredible performance.

Time to retire the dumb narrative that he can’t play on Monday nights. pic.twitter.com/Oqhn0fAWvR
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 24, 2023

For much of the game, the offensive line gave Cousins time to dice up the 49ers' defense underneath. What was most impressive about Cousins' day, though, was what he did when the pocket wasn't clean. Per PFF, he was under pressure on 16 of his 45 dropbacks. On those plays, he took zero sacks and completed 14 passes (87.5 percent) for 220 yards. Boosted by the long touchdown that Addison ripped away from Charvarius Ward, Cousins' yards per attempt jumped from 5.4 when kept clean to 13.8 when pressured.

One week after converting just two third downs against the Bears, the Vikings went 8-for-13 on third down against the 49ers. Those were some of the best examples of Cousins standing tall in the pocket, surveying the field, and making the right read to extend the drive.

"We have a great quarterback back there and we know we just have to give him a little bit of time," Christian Darrisaw said. "He’s gonna make the play, but when pressure does get on him, he doesn’t back off. He doesn’t fold or flinch."

Cousins will always be somewhat limited in his ability to escape the pocket and make plays outside of structure. What he does so well, what has allowed him to go from fourth-round pick to 12th-year veteran and borderline top-ten quarterback, is go through his progressions, make good decisions, and put the football where it needs to be.

Playing without Justin Jefferson again, Cousins leaned on T.J. Hockenson (11 receptions) and Addison (seven). But even when Addison left the field late in the game and Cousins was playing with guys like Brandon Powell and Trishton Jackson, he was able to make his reads and deliver. He has always viewed himself like a point guard in that sense.

"Being able to play with 8, the trust he has in his guys to be able to spread the ball," Hockenson said. "You never know when the ball's gonna come your way, which is incredible in an offense. I've been in a few (offenses) that you know when you're gonna get the ball and you know when you (aren't). In this one, you have to feel like you're going to every time because 8 will get back to you. It's just incredible to play with him. His demeanor, the way he sits in the pocket, how tough he is, the way he carries himself in the huddle. He's a guy you want to play for."

Cousins' contract is up after this season. Where he'll be playing in 2024 in uncertain. But that's a concern for another day. In one of the most impressive displays of his entire career, Cousins led the Vikings to an improbable victory that thrust them right back into the postseason picture. If he can continue to play at that level, everything this team hopes to achieve might be within reach.