Getty Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak hinted at allowing Kirk Cousins to have more freedom in the offense.
The Minnesota Vikings and Mike Zimmer exorcised past demons on Sunday, derailing a long-running losing streak to the Seattle Seahawks.
Kirk Cousins led the charge, completing 30 of 38 passes for 323 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in a convincing 30-17 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium.
It was the first time the Vikings defeated their NFC adversary Seahawks in eight tries, dating back to 2009 when they last beat Seattle. Zimmer had lost five straight to the Russel Wilson-led Seahawks. Despite a solid second-half defensive showing, holding Seattle a pedestrian 17 points, Zimmer pivoted quickly to just how well the offense did in what he called its best showing in his eight seasons in Minnesota.
“I told the team that it’s the best offensive performance that I’ve seen in the eight years that I’ve been here,” Zimmer said in a postgame press conference. “Kirk (Cousins) played outstanding. I thought (Alexander) Mattison ran the ball well, the offensive line blocked great. Tight ends, receivers blocked great in the run game but also in the passing game. Very, very proud of the way that they performed today.”
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Zimmer Offers High Praise to Cousins
Cousins was deemed Zimmer’s bane all offseason as his pricey contract has yet to yield significant team success. However, Cousins has been playing up to his price tag as of late.
Cousins has completed 71.6% of his passes this season for 918 yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions in three games. He’s currently ranked second in ESPN’s QBR, third by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and has the fifth-highest passer rating in the league.
Cousins earned high praise from his coach on Sunday as the two’s relationship may be budding in their fourth season together.
“I think (Cousins is) playing outstanding,” Zimmer said. “But not only that, he’s playing with a lot of confidence. I really appreciate the leadership that he’s been doing lately. It’s been so much better, something he wanted to work on. He’s done a great job with that. He’s very confident where he’s throwing the football. He’s very confident with these receivers. I think the offensive line has helped him do some of those things as well.”
The coach and quarterback were once considered two of the most polarizing characters in the Vikings organization. However, they’ve worked through any possible rifts by holding weekly film sessions together this season for the first time since Cousins joined the Vikings in 2018.
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Vikings Offensive Line Allowing Kirk to Thrive
The Vikings offense saw several highs on Sunday: Alexander Mattison posted 171 yards of total offense in Dalvin Cook’s stead; Justin Jefferson became the fastest Vikings player to reach 100 career receptions; and Cousins’ 26th win in purple and gold is the most of any Vikings quarterback in their first 50 starts.
But the most significant development that speaks to the team’s prospects was on the offensive line. The offensive line posted a 76.9 PFF pass-blocking grade on the day.
Their performance has vaulted the Vikings’ pass game into the league’s upper echelons, currently ranking second with an 86.9 grade behind only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 91.5 PFF passing grade.