USA TODAY International Edition
Vikings’ Cousins picks apart Lions
DETROIT – With Dalvin Cook routinely running with authority, the Vikings are more than content to be a runfirst team in the pass- happy NFL.
But the results of the past three weeks suggest the Vikings will find more team success when quarterback Kirk Cousins’ arm is the star of the show. Cousins threw for 300 or more yards for the third consecutive week and the Vikings ( 5- 2) downed the Lions 42- 30 Sunday for their third consecutive win.
“He’s playing very free right now,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “He’s letting the ball loose. Even on some incompletions, he’s putting the ball in the right places.”
Cousins was 24- for- 34 for 337 yards and four touchdowns against the Lions ( 2- 3- 1). He did that with key wide receiver Adam Thielen leaving the game in the first quarter after injuring his hamstring on a touchdown catch.
Cousins’ surge comes at an opportune time because the Vikings have to play again Thursday, against the Redskins, his former team.
“It’s like the ( offense) couldn’t be stopped,” Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks said about the win. “They were spreading the ball around. I saw multiple players get the ball; everybody got the ball – fullbacks, tight ends, receivers, deep balls, intermediate.”
Over the past three weeks, Cousins had thrown for 976 yards with 10 touchdowns and no turnovers. He has eight touchdown passes in the past two weeks.
“He’s playing the best I’ve seen since he’s been here,” Zimmer said.
Coming into this game, the Vikings had run 52.96% of the time. San Francisco and Baltimore are the only other teams running more than they pass.
The Vikings say they are simply taking what defenses give them, and that has led to a balanced attack. With Cook averaging 103 yards, the Vikings are still going to rely heavily on the run even if Cousins continues to be on fire. No NFL team has broken off more runs of 20 or more yards this season than the Vikings’ 10.
“We were running the ball proficiently,” Cousins said. “And when you do that it helps the play calling and helps a quarterback feel like the wind is at his back.”
Asked why he is so hot, Cousins said, “It’s not that simple. ... The game plans have put me in position to be successful.”