Winning ‘makes it easier’ but Vikings’ cousin Kirk is his own worst critic – Minnesota Vikings Blog
MINNEAPOLIS — During the best NFL season he’s played since joining the league in 2012, Kirk’s cousin kept saying the weirdest thing: He insisted that he wasn’t playing well. The spell begins in September and it peaks the following Thursday night Minnesota Vikings quarterback completed one of the most efficient games ever before a New England Patriots defense under coach Bill Belichick.
The Cousins completed 30 of 37 passes in 3 touchdowns 299 yards and combined the season’s highest 84.8 Total Midfielder Rating in a single season. win 33-26. He then opened a door to a unique combination of anguish and relief in his post-match meeting with reporters.
“It’s funny because we’re winning, so I feel it’s a lot easier to talk to you guys this year,” he said. “But I’m not playing any better. If anything happens, I go to these press conferences to try to smile, have to work to smile, because I’m thinking to myself, ‘Oh my god, I have to play better.’ I appreciate winning because it makes this a bit easier.”
Team Viking is on 9-2 (0.818 win rate), the best record for any NFL team Cousins has gone through 11 games. His cumulative season stats aren’t equal to his career high over the course of 12 weeks (he has a career-high 68.5 QBR across 11 games in 2016 against Washington), and he made a lousy intercept in the first half on Thursday night – a failure of his back foot that led to the Patriots’ on-field goal. But Cousins also made a series of winning throws — the kind he did to win games all season — including a 36-yard throw to the receiver. Justin Jefferson in the fourth quarter set up a 15 yard throw for the receiver Adam Thielen for the encounter that gave the Vikings the lead forever.
Ultimately, the “81.6% team completion rate” is the second-highest rate ever against the Belichick-led Patriots defense. But when asked if he really thinks he should have played better, Cousins listed out a list of imperfect throws. One is for the recipient KJ Osborn one shot was a bit short, and another one towards Jefferson went off target and could have been intercepted.
“This is my way, man,” he said. “I’m pretty hard on myself. I go back there and think of ways to be better.”
In fact, the 2022 season is not the best season of Cousins’ career from a personal point of view. His 49.8 QBR this season is actually the worst ever in 12 weeks of the season. His nine interceptions are second-worst, as is his 65% completion rate. But the pitches he has taken to win games are what his teammates and coaches want him to focus on.
Cousins, whose team is currently 11-18 when playing in prime time, was asked if he would ever allow himself to say he played a great game.
“No,” he said. “I don’t know. I probably drove myself crazy, my family went crazy this way. That’s just the way I’m bound. I’m an improvement person. I’m obsessed with improvement. . Even when things are going well, my mind thinks how can they be better. You torture yourself that way.”
The Vikings did not defeat the Patriots relying solely on the strength of their cousin’s arms. Kene NwangwuThe return match at 97 yards in the third inning delivered a big emotional one. Their pass protection improved dramatically a week after the Cousins were buried by seven sacks in a previous 40-3 loss dalas cowboy. Their own passing fever came to life in the fourth quarter to fire the Patriots quarterback Mac Jones twice and the NFL’s replay rating system reversed touchdown passes in the third quarter for the Patriots to close Hunter Henryforced to score on the field of the Patriots.
And, to be sure, Cousins isn’t the first professional athlete to deny or deflect credit. But Cousins revealed that his drive was rooted in deep personal bigotry — all at a time when coaches and teammates were trying to motivate him.
Cousins revealed that Thielen pulled him aside before Thursday’s game and “shared a word of encouragement.” Thielen did not specifically address that conversation when speaking to reporters on Thursday night, but he said it was important Cousins didn’t feel like he was “burdening the team on top of that.” People.
“I think it’s something that we’re constantly trying to talk to him about,” Thielen added. “Just go out there and play football. You’re an incredibly good footballer and you’ve proven it week in, week out. You show how tough you are. You show you’ve got it. When he did that — and he did it tonight — he was one of the best in the league.”
Meanwhile, Jefferson praised Cousins’ growing confidence in throwing him the “50-50” style of ball that has helped him score three touchdowns in the red zone in the past four games, as well. like making passes deeper than 37 and 36 yards on Thursday night.
“Ever since I got here, I’ve asked him to do it,” Jefferson said. “I feel like every week he’s getting more and more confident to give me those types of football. I just love to come forward and play.”
The Cousins have been truly moved by that encouragement, as well as the unwavering confidence that coach Kevin O’Connell has shown since joining the organization in February. Rarely affectionate in public, Cousins expressed gratitude Thursday night for their universal encouragement to push him through his mistakes.
“Kevin [O’Connell] This group has empowered me so much,” Cousins said. “This group has empowered me so much. The boys were great. I can’t say enough about how they supported me after these interceptions, supported me throughout the week, supported me before the game in the dressing room. … Sometimes I almost cry when I see how these people support and support me. It really adds to the fun of playing and working together.”
