The Viking Age
FanSided

5 things to know about the Vikings and Lions in Week 17

By Dustin Baker

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 08: Adam Thielen #19 of the Minnesota Vikings runs a route during the second quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 8, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 08: Adam Thielen #19 of the Minnesota Vikings runs a route during the second quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 8, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
Minnesota Vikings
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) Kirk Cousins – Minnesota Vikings /

3. A Statistical Gravy Game for Kirk Cousins

With a very poor defense on the menu (more on that later), Kirk Cousins has an opportunity to pile on the gravy quarterback statistics. Indeed, this is as close to a “garbage time” game that the NFL can offer, but should Cousins just sit out because his team is not postseason-bound? Probably not. Imagine those headlines: Cousins Refuses to Play Football.

During Cousins’ first season in Minnesota, he dropped 30 touchdown passes, a career-high. Then-offensive coordinator John DeFilippo liked to fling the ball, but his boss did not. DeFilippo ultimately met his maker and was fired in December of 2018. But not before Cousins could orchestrate a season with 30 scores through the air.

This year, Cousins has already delivered 32 touchdowns to various receivers. Anything else is icing for his career box score.

That said, it would not be totally stunning for Cousins to be unexpectedly “benched” for this game, paving the way for a Sean Mannion start. Cousins is an expensive asset and reducing the risk of injury is not wholly insane. A Mannion sighting is unlikely, but don’t rule it out.

Home/Minnesota Vikings News