The Minnesota Vikings are getting the second stint going for Kirk Cousins as they face the Green Bay Packers in Week 10. Nonetheless, the move to get Cousins is about getting the offense on track this season after the inconsistent performances of Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz.
Minnesota is looking for an average to above-average offense to complement their defense that’s championship caliber. Moreover, Cousins has been playing well so far this season.
Cousins has a passer rating of 97.1 with 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in nine games this season, per StatMuse. Nonetheless, former NFL head coach Antonio Pierce isn’t jumping on board just yet that the veteran QB puts the Vikings in the Super Bowl conversation.
“Why all of a sudden, because Kirk Cousins is going back to Minnesota, do we crown them as real contenders?” Pierce said in a Nov. 15 video from the NFL on CBS’ X account. “How many playoff games has Kirk Cousins won? He’s made a lot of money, and I’m not knocking him.
“I’m just saying, how all of a sudden do we crown the Vikings and Kirk Cousins because of the move and say that they’re Super Bowl contenders? I don’t see that.”
Kirk Cousins Looks to Be Regressing, Antonio Pierce Says
Moreover, the former NFL linebacker believes that Cousins is starting to regress, pointing to the last few games with the Las Vegas Raiders before the trade that saw the veteran return to Minnesota on Nov. 10 before the 4 pm ET deadline.
“If you look at the last few games with the Raiders, I think that’s getting more telling about Kirk Cousins,” Pierce added. “He got off to a great start, 3-0. Great job. He took care of the football except for Week 1. Then last week against the Niners, there were some plays where I’d say, ‘What are we doing?’
“You watch it, and I understand because they’ve been playing so poorly at that position with the other quarterbacks. I don’t see him as a true answer for them or as someone who can lead them to the Super Bowl.”
Cris Carter on Kirk Cousins’ Return to the Vikings
With Cousins now back in Minnesota for a second stint, former Vikings wideout Cris Carter recently shared his thoughts on the decision to bring back the veteran.
“First of all, it was forced,” Carter said during a Nov. 13 appearance on CBS News Minnesota. “That crowd was remarkable on [Nov. 9 against the Buffalo Bills]. But when they started to boo the home team, especially the quarterback play, it forced them.
“I know the Vikings were on the phone Monday night, and this was ultimately the only move they could make. He’s the perfect fit for us moving forward. He’s really the only quarterback with whom we could have Super Bowl aspirations and make a clean transition because he knows the offense.”
It will be interesting to see if Cousins can hit the ground running against the Packers or if the QB concerns remain a problem in Minnesota, as the team is also on a two-game losing streak.
Vikings Receive Blunt Take on Kirk Cousins’ Return Before Packers Game