5 Vikings players to watch in Week 5 vs. the Giants

Kirk Cousins – QB

A lot has been written about Kirk Cousins this week and while much of it has been very harsh, a lot of it is also true. The fact is the Vikings are paying Cousins a lot of money to help them win games and he simply isn’t doing that. He has to play better and he has to start doing it this week.

Cousins is in a funk right now. It pretty much started in the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals and since that game, he’s been very off.

Who knows what is causing his recent string of bad games, but he just isn’t seeing the field well, he is missing open receivers down the field, and he is feeling pressure that isn’t always there.

Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski can help Cousins get out of this funk with some smart play calling. He needs to give him some easy routes that have a high chance of being completed.

He also needs to call enough pass plays to where Cousins can get into a rhythm. Cousins has so many weapons at his disposal and Stefanski needs to make sure he is utilizing all of them and not just handing the ball off to Dalvin Cook 30 times a game with the occasional pass thrown in.

Cousins has shown he can lead an effective passing attack in the past. He needs to get back to that this Sunday in New York or things will get very, very ugly in Minnesota next week.