Though it does not come as a tremendous surprise given the state of the offense in Minnesota, the Vikings made official the news that Kirk Cousins will serve as their starting quarterback against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10.
Minnesota made the announcement on Friday, November 13 after head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated three days earlier, upon the team’s trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for Cousins becoming official, that the Vikings could not fully commit to a plan at QB in Green Bay just five days later.
“#Vikings QB Kirk Cousins will officially start on Sunday vs the Packers,” the VikingzFanPage account posted to X on Friday, November 13. “[Three] years after tearing his achilles in Lambeau, he will start in his first game back with Minnesota.”
The only concern was whether Cousins could get up to speed enough in an offense with which he has significant familiarity to run it as well/comfortable as necessary with less than a full week to prepare.
Clearly the 38-year-old Cousins, among the more cerebral and experienced signal-callers in the entire NFL, was able to hit the bar(s) that the Vikings coaching staff set for him, and as such he will be a full-go at Lambeau Field as part of the opening slate of Sunday games in Week 10.
Vikings QBs Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz Both Hampered by Injuries Leading Up to Contest in Green Bay
That Cousins will be ready to play is an even bigger deal than it would have been otherwise given the state of the quarterback room behind him.
Kyler Murray missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday due to a lingering hamstring issue that cost him a start against the Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football” last week.
Meanwhile, Carson Wentz practiced in limited fashion each of the past two days with an ankle injury he sustained in an ugly performance against Buffalo, in which Wentz completed just 8-of-25 passes for two interceptions.
The Vikings had not released their final injury report as of early Friday afternoon, though it will come in short order. Current trends for both players render the most likely outcome that Murray will not play against the Packers, while Wentz probably will, though he may enter the weekend with a “questionable” designation.
TJ Hockenson May Not Be Available for Vikings at Green Bay Due to Wrist, Chest Injuries
Cousins’ inclusion in the starting lineup has moved the betting line on the game down from 5.5 points in favor of the Packers to just three points, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
Wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have each suffered through a slow first half of the campaign with the combination of Murray and Wentz under center, though each should have more opportunities for success against a good Green Bay defense Sunday.
Meanwhile, Vikings tight end TJ Hockenson has wrist and chest injuries that held him out of practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, leaving his status for the game at Lambeau Field uncertain.
Vikings Announce Major Kirk Cousins Call Ahead of Packers Showdown