The Vikings are taking ‘week-to-week’ too literally

Kirk Cousins threw for less than 100 yards in ugly 17-9 win over Bears, and the passing game has suddenly gone cold

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By Matthew Coller

CHICAGO — After the Minnesota Vikings beat the Los Angeles Chargers and Green Bay Packers in back-to-back weeks, you could have made a convincing case that they were suddenly an offense that nobody wanted to face. They were pushing the ball downfield to Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins was confidently driving them in key situations. Now we sit three weeks later and he’s completed under 50% of his passes the last two weeks and the Vikings’ passing game is coming off possibly its worst performance of the entire Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota.

The Vikings dropped back to pass 28 times in their 17-9 victory at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football, produced 61 net yards and Cousins threw an interception that looked like a balloon floating into the hands of Chicago’s Deon Bush.

Zimmer said after the game that he felt they threw the ball too much early. Cousins didn’t exactly see it that way.

“They played a lot of two-deep [safeties], so they weren't trying to ask any new or young players to put them in a tough spot,” Cousins said after the game. “Weren't a lot of chances to throw the ball downfield or weren't a lot of chances for explosive gains, but I don't know if we threw it too much. I just think it was hard to ever get anything more than a few yards because of the way they were trying to keep everything in front of them.”

The offensive line that had been praised for protecting Cousins got demolished by Monster of the Midway Akiem Hicks. In total the Vikings took four sacks and Cousins was pressured throughout the night.

“They did a good job [in the secondary],” Zimmer said. “And when [Cousins] had to pull the ball down, he got too much pressure and got sacked. These teams that play these umbrella coverages against us, we’re gonna have to dink and dunk it a little bit.” 

Three weeks ago, Zimmer was telling Cousins to chuck it deep. Now they need to throw underneath. The Vikings’ offense has felt like trying to get the temperature right with a hotel shower — it’s always a little too hot or a little too cold.