Getty Quincy Williams of the New York Jets tackles Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings during a game at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 4, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings held off the New York Jets on Sunday in a physical game that took a serious toll on quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins was sacked only twice on the afternoon for a combined loss of 14 yards. However, Jets defenders teed off on the Vikings signal caller, amassing a total of nine quarterback hits and knocking Cousins into the dirt time and again.
The QB took a few moments to address his teammates in the locker room following the narrow victory, not to chastise them for the beating he took but to commend the entire group for the toughness it showed over the course of the day.
Tough times don’t last, tough people do
“It’s just a mantra I’ve kinda lived by my whole pro football career that started with Mike Shanahan. He would always say, you know, ‘Tough times don’t last, tough people do,'” Cousins told reporters. “And I think I may have said it before here with you guys, but I believe strongly in that, and this pro football journey you just have to live that again and again. Tough times don’t last, tough people do. I felt like this game in a way was kind of a microcosm of that.”
Cousins Stats Down From Last Season, Leadership Factor Up
GettyQuarterback Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings walks off the field after his team’s 27-22 win against the New York Jets at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 4, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Cousins has not been the statistical producer he was last season, yet the Vikings (10-2) have already exceeded their 2021 win total by two games with five yet to play. There are several factors that can be mentioned when accounting for the turnaround, but one has to be Cousins’ presence as a leader on and off the field.
The QB engaged in an uncommonly fiery back and forth with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell back in Week 6 during a road game against the Miami Dolphins. But after the game, Cousins was more than supportive of his coach. He was thankful for the tough love.
“I think we’re gonna have intense conversations. I’m gonna try to give him my feedback and he’s going to give me his, and I love when he coaches me hard and holds me to a high standard,” Cousins said. “I think [those conversations] are really valuable. That play-caller, quarterback dynamic is just always, you know, you’re trying to get in each other’s head more and more and more the longer you work together.”
The quarterback has also helped galvanize the team by not taking himself too seriously. A video of Cousins dancing shirtless and donning several of his teammates’ chains went viral after it was filmed on the team plane following a comeback victory against the Washington Commanders on November 6.
Cousins’ toughness and performance Sunday, and the team-wide address he offered in the aftermath of what was a brutal game for him personally, is only the latest in a string of actions that have helped to endear the quarterback to those around him and lead the Vikings to the second-best record in the NFC through Week 13.
Vikings’ Schedule Lines Up Nicely For Strong Late-Season Run
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings talks to quarterback Kirk Cousins before a game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Toughness in the Vikings locker room will need to remain a theme if the team hopes to continue its winning ways. However, the upcoming schedule should help somewhat in that regard.
Minnesota will travel to take on the Detroit Lions next weekend before hosting the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants in back-to-back home games. The Vikings should enter all three of those contests as odds-on favorites to win.
The Vikings finish the year with back-to-back divisional road games against the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, two teams with a combined eight wins on the season. Both squads are likely to be eliminated from playoff contention by the time Minnesota comes to town, meaning quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields may be limited, or sidelined completely, in the interest of health protection moving into next season.