Why Kirk Cousins deserves to be in early MVP conversation this season

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been incredible so far during the 2021 season and he should be included in the early MVP discussion.

The Minnesota Vikings are 1-2 to start the season, but that is no fault of quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Vikings have been in a position to win both of the games they lost thanks to Cousins driving the offense down the field to put the matchups to bed. But the wins weren’t meant to be.

For years Cousins’ advocates and supporters have explained that with a decent offensive line, he can be elite. This season, he is proving them right.

During Minnesota’s last two games, the team’s offensive line has kept Cousins upright and given him a pretty good pocket to operate from, and it’s resulted in him being unstoppable at times.

When Cousins has given a clean pocket this season, he is PFF’s top-graded quarterback in the NFL. In a clean pocket, he’s completed 81 percent of his passes, 763 passing yards with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions.

The Vikings appear to have sorted out their offensive line issues and with rookie left tackle Christian Darrisaw getting closer to making his pro debut, it could get even better for Cousins this year.

Is there a genuine MVP case to be made for Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins?

During the first three games of his MVP performance last season, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had fewer passing yards (887), a lower completion rate (67 percent), and just one more passing touchdown (nine) than Cousins has in his three matchups this year.

If Cousins can continue at his current pace, there is no doubt he will be in the MVP discussion when we get closer to the end of the 2021 season.

Even though the Minnesota quarterback has a solid case to be in the early MVP conversation, his current MVP odds on WynnBet are still behind guys like Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield, and Jalen Hurts.

October is typically a great month for Cousins. He usually plays his best football in the month of October each season, so maybe now would be a good time for people to put their money on the Vikings signal-caller to be this season’s MVP.