4 reasons why the Vikings will be better in 2020 than last season
By Dustin Baker
Quarterback continuity
2005 was the final year that the Vikings opened up their season with Daunte Culpepper as their starting quarterback. During the following 14 years, a total of 10 different signal-callers opened up at least one season as Minnesota’s starting signal-caller. Generally, fans and pundits chide the Cleveland Browns for implementing a similar practice, but the Vikings are culprits, too.
Since Wade Wilson left Minnesota for the Atlanta Falcons in 1992, the Vikings have piecemealed quarterbacks onto the depth chart and hoped for the best.
To a degree, this strategy has netted a successful return. Since 1992, Minnesota has been the ninth-best football in the NFL in terms of win percentage. Yet, the Vikings haven’t brought home any Lombardi trophies.
Accelerate the clock to 2018 when Minnesota signed free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins. In his augural season with the Vikings, Cousins boasted the ninth-best passer rating in the business with a 99.7 rating. Last year, Minnesota’s quarterback improved to a handsome 107.4 rating which was fourth-best in the league.
Cousins is progressively getting better within the Vikings offense. Year-two was better than year-one and with continuity in the same system, there is no reason Cousins cannot sharpen his skills to add even more precision in 2020.