4 major observations from Kirk Cousins performance vs. Packers in Week 1
By Dean Jones
Kirk Cousins now has the NFL’s best WR
Kirk Cousins attained 277 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air in Week 1. The majority of this came from wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who got his potential Triple Crown campaign off to the best start imaginable
Jefferson was an absolute revelation from start to finish. The former LSU standout brought in nine receptions from 11 targets for 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns, which was remarkable when one considers he was lined up against Jaire Alexander or other top playmakers within the secondary.
The Vikings used Jefferson in motion a lot, making the most of his supreme athleticism and elite route-running that seemed to get the wideout open at will. And when the time came to deliver, Cousins did a great job.
This blossoming relationship between Cousins and Jefferson is mutually beneficial. It’s got the potential to propel the quarterback to heights not seen during his career and will likely see the 2020 first-round pick become the league’s highest-paid player at the position next year.
If Jefferson wanted to stake his claim for the No. 1 wide receiver title, he succeeded. And make no mistake, this is nothing but good news for Cousins and the Vikings in their quest to become a dark-horse Super Bowl challenger in 2022.