Cousins comes up big
Maligned QB delivers in OT, sending Vikings into divisional round
NEW ORLEANS — After tight end Kyle Rudolph emerged from a purple swarm of celebrating Vikings near the corner of the end zone, he took an opportunity to mock those who doubted quarterback Kirk Cousins’ ability to come through in the clutch.
“I’m just glad Kirk can’t win big games, apparently,” Rudolph said. “We proved that one wrong today.”
Cousins hit Rudolph with a 4-yard fade on third-and-goal in OT, and the Vikings pulled out a 26-20 victory over the favored Saints in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs Sunday.
Cousins lost his only previous playoff start in 2015 with the Redskins, came up short of a playoff berth on the final regularseason game a year ago and struggled in a handful of other high-profile games.
Yet Cousins eschewed an opportunity to gloat after his pass to Rudolph — and a 43-yarder to Adam Thielen at the Saints 2-yard line three plays earlier — helped the Vikings (11-6) advance to play the top-seeded 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs Saturday. It was the Vikings’ first road playoff win since Jan. 9, 2005, when they beat the rival Packers at Lambeau Field in the wild-card round.
“I’m just happy we won,” Cousins said. “It was a great, great game, two good football teams.”
Saints fans begged to differ after seeing their team’s season end in overtime in the Superdome for a second straight year.
The latest disappointing end for the Saints (13-4) came nearly a year after they lost in the NFC title game to the Rams in a game marred by missed Rams penalties. This time, replays on video boards showed a possible pushoff by Rudolph against defensive back P.J. Williams moments before he jumped to snag the winning catch.
NFL president of officiating Al Riveron said the league reviewed numerous replay angles, and while they saw contact by both players, “none of that contact rises to the level of a foul.”
Saints coach Sean Payton said the Vikings “deserved to win.”
Dalvin Cook gained 130 yards from scrimmage and scored two TDs after missing the last two regular-season games with an injury. Cousins finished with 242 yards and one TD passing.
“Being a fourth-round pick and kind of working your way up in the league — now you win a playoff game. Guess what? You realize there’s more mountains to climb,” Cousins said. “You just keep chasing the next mountain and there will always be people who are going to criticize you — that’s OK.”
The Saints trailed by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter but forced overtime with Drew Brees’ 20-yard touchdown pass to Taysom Hill and Wil Lutz’s 49yard field goal with 2 seconds left.
“They made more plays than we did,” Payton said. “They ran the ball better than we did.”
Hill was the Saints’ leading rusher with 50 yards and Alvin Kamara was held to 21 yards rushing on seven carries.
“Both defenses played well,” Payton added. “Shoot, here you are in overtime and they made a few plays right there at the end that obviously were significant.”
The Vikings defense forced Brees into two turnovers — one game after the Saints had finished the regular season with an NFL record-low eight. Brees also was sacked three times and finished 26 of 33 for 208 yards with one TD and an interception.
Brees’ first turnover came on a deep throw downfield late in the first half. That led to Cook’s first TD that gave the Vikings a 13-10 lead.
The Saints were threatening with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when Danielle Hunter sacked Brees, who lost the ball.