If any of these playoff games comes down to Kirk Cousins on a game winning drive can he do it?

[Purplepain2018]

Kirk Cousins has now been with the Vikings for two seasons and his record as a starting QB is 18-12-1. In his career, Cousins has 13 GWD (game winning drives). Cousins has become to be known as "Good Kirk" and "Bad Kirk." Unfortunately, for us Vikings fans we have seen way too much of "Bad Kirk" and not enough of "Good Kirk."

Before the Philadelphia Eagles game this year one of their linebackers referred to Cousins as "the weakest link on the offense." Cousins seemingly played with a chip on his shoulder and he looked mad as he played as the Vikings cruised to a win over the Eagles and the Vikings won 5 of their next 6 games.

Now we are in the playoffs and one loss and you are done. If the Vikings have one last shot and the ball, do you trust Kirk Cousins to get it done and get the W for the Vikings?

[Mothman]

Kirk Cousins has now been with the Vikings for two seasons and his record as a starting QB is 18-12-1. In his career, Cousins has 13 GWD (game winning drives). Cousins has become to be known as "Good Kirk" and "Bad Kirk." Unfortunately, for us Vikings fans we have seen way too much of "Bad Kirk" and not enough of "Good Kirk."

Before the Philadelphia Eagles game this year one of their linebackers referred to Cousins as "the weakest link on the offense." Cousins seemingly played with a chip on his shoulder and he looked mad as he played as the Vikings cruised to a win over the Eagles and the Vikings won 5 of their next 6 games.

Now we are in the playoffs and one loss and you are done. If the Vikings have one last shot and the ball, do you trust Kirk Cousins to get it done and get the W for the Vikings?

I don't know. All I can say is in that situation, I don't trust the Vikes OL to get it done for Cousins.

If we're lucky, the Vikes will be in command of the game late.

[StumpHunter]

Kirk Cousins has now been with the Vikings for two seasons and his record as a starting QB is 18-12-1. In his career, Cousins has 13 GWD (game winning drives). Cousins has become to be known as "Good Kirk" and "Bad Kirk." Unfortunately, for us Vikings fans we have seen way too much of "Bad Kirk" and not enough of "Good Kirk."

Before the Philadelphia Eagles game this year one of their linebackers referred to Cousins as "the weakest link on the offense." Cousins seemingly played with a chip on his shoulder and he looked mad as he played as the Vikings cruised to a win over the Eagles and the Vikings won 5 of their next 6 games.

Now we are in the playoffs and one loss and you are done. If the Vikings have one last shot and the ball, do you trust Kirk Cousins to get it done and get the W for the Vikings?

I don't know. All I can say is in that situation, I don't trust the Vikes OL to get it done for Cousins.

If we're lucky, the Vikes will be in command of the game late.

I can say for a near certainty the Oline is not good enough to win it all with Cousins. Neither is the WR corp, RBs, TEs, play calling or defense.

After the game Sunday we will hear all about how they aren't good enough. Just like what was said in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

[CharVike]

Kirk Cousins has now been with the Vikings for two seasons and his record as a starting QB is 18-12-1. In his career, Cousins has 13 GWD (game winning drives). Cousins has become to be known as "Good Kirk" and "Bad Kirk." Unfortunately, for us Vikings fans we have seen way too much of "Bad Kirk" and not enough of "Good Kirk."

Before the Philadelphia Eagles game this year one of their linebackers referred to Cousins as "the weakest link on the offense." Cousins seemingly played with a chip on his shoulder and he looked mad as he played as the Vikings cruised to a win over the Eagles and the Vikings won 5 of their next 6 games.

Now we are in the playoffs and one loss and you are done. If the Vikings have one last shot and the ball, do you trust Kirk Cousins to get it done and get the W for the Vikings?

I don't know. All I can say is in that situation, I don't trust the Vikes OL to get it done for Cousins.

If we're lucky, the Vikes will be in command of the game late.

People thinking it's a Cousins only show aren't thinking clearly. Just look at the holes we have had on O this year. Our best player Cook has done nothing since week 8. Adam was out how long? Really he's still out. Didn't do a thing against the Pack but drop a pass that hit him. Were is he in this mess. We had one WR for how long. This OL is worse than bad. People think if we plugged Brady in we would win it all easy. I'd like to see him behind this line. He took a few hits last week and got beat. It's tough getting off the ground as he found out. Plus with us he better be able to move all day. Don't stand there. Cousins took this group to the playoffs.
Cousins could drive us down the field. But others need to do their job also. Adam needs to catch a ball. Diggs needs to make a play and not give it away and get nothing. This OL will kill us. They need to play at least average. Can that happen with a stiff at LT and LG? They can't block a player. Stiff is to kind. That puts big time pressure on our kid center who is struggling himself to keep his own feet on the ground. I've seen him pushed on his back. That don't happen much at least since I've been watching this game. Our special teams need to do something. I like this Hughes kid and maybe he breaks one. All three levels will need to play at their best. Our we won't win. Including Cousins.

[Maelstrom88]

Absolutely. Kirk had shown the ability to put TD drives together. However, I have to echo what others have said about the line not being able to protect if they're one dimensional. The line is STILL the top need in the off-season imo. Sad that it is taking them this long to retool it. I just hope Bradbury can improve this off-season. Elf and Reiff need to go. Kline too but I don't know if they can realistically replace 3 out of 5.

[CharVike]

I don't know. All I can say is in that situation, I don't trust the Vikes OL to get it done for Cousins.

If we're lucky, the Vikes will be in command of the game late.

People thinking it's a Cousins only show aren't thinking clearly. Just look at the holes we have had on O this year. Our best player Cook has done nothing since week 8. Adam was out how long? Really he's still out. Didn't do a thing against the Pack but drop a pass that hit him. Were is he in this mess. We had one WR for how long. This OL is worse than bad. People think if we plugged Brady in we would win it all easy. I'd like to see him behind this line. He took a few hits last week and got beat. It's tough getting off the ground as he found out. Plus with us he better be able to move all day. Don't stand there. Cousins took this group to the playoffs.
Cousins could drive us down the field. But others need to do their job also. Adam needs to catch a ball. Diggs needs to make a play and not give it away and get nothing. This OL will kill us. They need to play at least average. Can that happen with a stiff at LT and LG? They can't block a player. Stiff is to kind. That puts big time pressure on our kid center who is struggling himself to keep his own feet on the ground. I've seen him pushed on his back. That don't happen much at least since I've been watching this game. Our special teams need to do something. I like this Hughes kid and maybe he breaks one. All three levels will need to play at their best. Our we won't win. Including Cousins.

One more thing. Our D needs to play lights out. They can't let Brees light them up or we don't have a chance. They need to cover that TE closely and they can't let this back pound it down their throat or catch passes and take off and split us. That won't be easy. It all starts with pressure. Hunter and Griffen need to bring it. Make Brees pay a price on his pass attempts. I've seen him stand there waiting for that Cook to clear out from the mess. That's not a quick throw regardless of what some think. Watch his highlights. He isn't always just getting a snap and boom. He'll wait for guys to clear or run their routes is better.

[Dmizzle0]

Sure

[Pondering Her Percy]

Absolutely. Kirk had shown the ability to put TD drives together. However, I have to echo what others have said about the line not being able to protect if they're one dimensional. The line is STILL the top need in the off-season imo. Sad that it is taking them tgis long to retool it. I just hope Bradbury can improve this off-season. Elf and Reiff need to go. Kline too but I don't know if they can realistically replace 3 out of 5.

Agreed but I actually don’t mind Kline. I think he’s played halfway decent

[Maelstrom88]

Absolutely. Kirk had shown the ability to put TD drives together. However, I have to echo what others have said about the line not being able to protect if they're one dimensional. The line is STILL the top need in the off-season imo. Sad that it is taking them tgis long to retool it. I just hope Bradbury can improve this off-season. Elf and Reiff need to go. Kline too but I don't know if they can realistically replace 3 out of 5.

Agreed but I actually don’t mind Kline. I think he’s played halfway decent

Ya I think he's at least adequate but I hope for better of course.

[808vikingsfan]

He was already in this position vs SEA on MNF and failed miserably.

A lot of deflecting in this thread. Question isn't about the OL. It's about Cousins. How will he handle himself when the protection breaks down? Will he be able to deal with the pressure and adjust. Will he hit the open receiver downfield or will he dump the ball to his relief valve prematurely?

Can he do it? No clue since he's such a headcase but it'd be nice for the team to be in that position. Here's to hoping he gets a chance.

[Bowhunting Viking]

With the pass protection the O line gave Cousins in the Pukers game... the only QB I could really trust to win for us was Marino back in his prime. He prob had the quickest delivery of any QB that I've ever seen in my 50 yrs of watching the NFL. He would prob even struggle with our pass blocking.
Let's just say I doubt he would be handing out Isotoners to the O line.
I am just hoping, and James Jones was just now talking about it on NFL Network, that NO ONE is giving us a chance in this game. He talked about how as a player that does grate at you and gives u a little extra incentive.
Plus he talked about Cook being back , and he , surprisingly, actually thinks we will get Cook rolling and control the ball and have a great chance to win.
Cut to Willie McGinnist, who pretty much laughed it off and in a round about way echoed most other talking heads, that we have no chance beating the Saints in the Superdome.
So , heres to hoping Sunday afternoon there are many large bowls of crow being devoured on NFL reporting sets across the nation.
To the thread topic, I really dont know anymore about trusting Kirk. Just about the time I feel like fully defending him and believing, he pushes me back over to the doubting Thomas side again.
I just wish the guy could lighten up, get out of his OWN head, and the line would be able to at least slow down the elite pass rushers.. I'm especially talking Reiff here. Then I could fully trust the guy. But as of now I can't have the faith in him in crunch time that i would if Wilson, Brees, Brady or .. i wanna puke saying this.. but that Erin provides in situations when the game is on the line.
Hey, Maybe he can do it Sunday and start proving doubters wrong. I sure hope so. But right now I'm not overflowing with confidence.
I believe we have the talent to win. I am not convinced that we have the ability to use that talent to win.

[CharVike]

He was already in this position vs SEA on MNF and failed miserably.

A lot of deflecting in this thread. Question isn't about the OL. It's about Cousins. How will he handle himself when the protection breaks down? Will he be able to deal with the pressure and adjust. Will he hit the open receiver downfield or will he dump the ball to his relief valve prematurely?

Can he do it? No clue since he's such a headcase but it'd be nice for the team to be in that position. Here's to hoping he gets a chance.

He was in that position against the Pack and failed also. Everybody else played lights out. Adam and Diggs played the best games of their career for the title. Good catch. Your another with it's a one man show the rest don't matter. This is the ultimate team game. They all need to play at the top of their game. Good thing the OL don't matter in the game because we don't have one. I thought the LOS was important.

[fiestavike]

It would depend how the game has gone up to that point. Kirk typically struggles from the start in the games he struggles in. He seems incredibly uptight, nervous, and tightly wound in those games, pressing extra hard, aiming his passes, reacting skittishly and indecisively when protection breaks down. If he has been 'good Kirk' all game, I would feel pretty good about the possibility of at least getting into field goal range. Realistically, I expect the playoffs to bring out the worst in Kirk Cousins, and for him to play very poorly from the jump.

[TSonn]

It would depend how the game has gone up to that point. Kirk typically struggles from the start in the games he struggles in. He seems incredibly uptight, nervous, and tightly wound in those games, pressing extra hard, aiming his passes, reacting skittishly and indecisively when protection breaks down. If he has been 'good Kirk' all game, I would feel pretty good about the possibility of at least getting into field goal range. Realistically, I expect the playoffs to bring out the worst in Kirk Cousins, and for him to play very poorly from the jump.

I agree that Kirk tends to come out tight in "bigger" games. This game, although it's in the playoffs, is like the lowest expectation playoff game Kirk might ever have. There is zero expectation we win this game. So if there were a playoff game for him to get some confidence and let it fly - this is the one. Will Zimmer let him? That's another question.

[VikeFanInEagleLand]

Kirk Cousins has now been with the Vikings for two seasons and his record as a starting QB is 18-12-1. In his career, Cousins has 13 GWD (game winning drives). Cousins has become to be known as "Good Kirk" and "Bad Kirk." Unfortunately, for us Vikings fans we have seen way too much of "Bad Kirk" and not enough of "Good Kirk."

Before the Philadelphia Eagles game this year one of their linebackers referred to Cousins as "the weakest link on the offense." Cousins seemingly played with a chip on his shoulder and he looked mad as he played as the Vikings cruised to a win over the Eagles and the Vikings won 5 of their next 6 games.

Now we are in the playoffs and one loss and you are done. If the Vikings have one last shot and the ball, do you trust Kirk Cousins to get it done and get the W for the Vikings?

I think he CAN, but let me just say that there have been many QB's in my lifetime that I didn't want given another chance to get the ball in their hands...not even with 1:00 left on the clock. Cousin's isn't one of them, and I don't care if he had the best OL in the world.