By Matthew Coller
GREEN BAY, Wisc. — All year long we have been saying: If the Vikings just had an average offense, they could be the scariest team in the NFL.
Until Sunday’s game, we didn’t have much in terms of a test case since the offense had been nothing short of miserable.
But with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, the offense was distinctly average and the Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers to improve to 7-2 on the season.
Now the rest of the NFC should be very, very worried.
Cousins’ day was not flawless by any means. He had a near interception on a sack and overthrew Tai Felton for an interception. The offense failed to get in the end zone after having first-and-goal at the 4-yard line. And they had a three-and-out in the third quarter that almost allowed the Packers to come back in the game.
But when they needed Cousins to be a NFL-caliber starting quarterback and make the plays that were there, he did.
Cousins threw a touchdown on a third-and-23 to help the Vikings jump ahead 10-0 and then the defense did everything that you’d dream about. They sacked Jordan Love over and over and forced multiple turnovers. Green Bay’s offense didn’t produce points until the third quarter.
And when the Vikings needed a put-the-game-away type drive, Cousins delivered, converting a big third down on a throw to Justin Jefferson (who exists again!) and then ripping a pass to a wide open Gavin Bartholomew for a game-ending touchdown.
Was it special? Nope. Was it flawless? Not by any means. Was it good enough for the Vikings to prove in a massive NFC North game that they can play with any team in the NFC now that they have Cousins under center? You betcha.
The Vikings’ performance was particularly special on this day because they came into the contest shorthanded. Cousins had to adjust to guys that he’d never met before with TJ Hockenson and Jordan Addison out. He did it. The defense had to adapt to playing without Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner played like superstars.
Every single time the Vikings’ defense has been tested — even in the losses — they have proven that MVP QBs can’t even operate effectively against them.
Having an offense that can stay on the field for a 6-minute drive and close out a game makes them a completely different football team.
Winning on Sunday also could have enormous implications down the road. They have beaten the Packers twice, giving them the edge in any tie breaker. They also kept pace with the Bears and Lions, who have been on fire lately (the Lions destroyed the Patriots on Sunday).
They now feel like a team with an identity and a model, rather than a squad with a great defense that hangs on for dear life.
It was the Vikings’ first win in a long time that didn’t feel like the tide could turn at any time.
The other part of Sunday’s game that was key was Kevin O’Connell looking like he’d found his security blanket. Sure there were play calls to nitpick over but Cousins was in command the entire time. The deer-in-headlights look didn’t exist, as is has for multiple QBs in between Cousins appearances. It wasn’t hyperbolic to talk about this as a test case for KOC and he passed.
It doesn’t get any easier next week as they face off with the NFC’s top team in San Francisco but they will head to Mexico City with confidence that’s through the roof that they can make a case in the second half of the season to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a serious Super Bowl contender.
I suppose it was worth a late third-round pick, huh.
Here’s how it went down…