5 Vikings who could benefit most from their bye week

Kirk Cousins – QB

The opinions about Kirk Cousins range far and wide, but I think that everyone can agree that this year’s version of Cousins has not played up to the level he usually performs at.

Whether it be the new offensive scheme, or just Cousins himself, the Minnesota quarterback has just lacked something this year. While the team is winning games and that is ultimately the end goal, Cousins’ play this season has left a lot to be desired.

It’s obvious that Cousins is coming out of his shell personality wise this season, having open conversations with Kevin O’Connell on the sidelines and even donning some of his teammates’ expensive chains in recent weeks. But the team needs Cousins to translate that newfound swagger onto the field.

Too often it seems as though Cousins has taken the extra safe route, which at times is okay, but a lot of times it has resulted in minimal gains at best. While I am obviously not advocating for more interceptions, it would be a welcome sight to see Cousins let loose on throws more often, and if that turns into turnovers, at least the fans can see that the offense is making an attempt to be explosive.

Cousins could use his week off to dive into the playbook a little more and really get the offensive system down, as well as tap into his new nickname “Big Kirko” (thanks to Christian Darrisaw) and bring that boldness to the field.