5 Vikings players to watch in Week 6 vs. the Eagles

Kirk Cousins – QB

It seems like every week Kirk Cousins is on the list of Vikings to watch but he almost has to be. His play will be vital to the team winning or losing this football game.

Cousins is coming off a good performance against the Giants. He threw for 306 yards with two touchdowns. He didn’t turn the ball over, he got rid of the ball when he needed to, and he at least held onto it when he didn’t.

Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski also called a great game that allowed Cousins to have success. Stefanski used a lot of play-action passes and rolled Cousins out, giving him some easy reads and open targets down the field.

While it was nice to see Cousins bounce back after the Bears game in Week 4, that’s what he does. He performs well against inferior opponents. The Eagles will be a much tougher test. They also have a winning record and Cousins has not fared well in his career against teams who are above the .500 mark.

He needs to play well for the second week in a row. Philadelphia’s pass rush will be bearing down on Cousins all day long and Stefanski needs to plan for that. Three-step drops, quick hitters, and screens will need to be called to neutralize the rush.

Cousins is going to take hits this game, but he can’t let that affect his judgment. He needs to stay calm and not feel pressure when it isn’t there, and more importantly, protect the football at all times. This is a big game for Cousins and if he plays well, it will help him begin to shed the label of a quarterback who can’t beat good teams.