Mike Zimmer on Kirk Cousins' overtime drive: 'It was time to tell a lot of people he's our guy'

Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates with Adam Thielen #19 after defeating the New Orleans Saints 26-20 during overtime in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 05, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. ((Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images))

Mike Zimmer and Kevin Stefanski put the ball in the hands of Kirk Cousins, with the game and the Minnesota Vikings’ season on the line Sunday in New Orleans in overtime.

They trusted their $84 million quarterback, who’s made a habit of struggling in big games under the bright lights. For at least one week, the Vikings silenced the critics. Cousins took the Vikings down the field with a 10-yard pass to Stefon Diggs to convert a crucial third down, a 43-yard strike on a deep post to Adam Thielen and then, the game-winner.

Cousins had tight end Kyle Rudolph in single coverage on third-and-goal from the 4-yard line. Cousins never hesitated, throwing a jump ball to Rudolph over a smaller defensive back. Touchdown, no pass interference and game over. The Vikings had pulled off a stunning upset.

After the game, Zimmer presented Cousins the game ball in the celebratory locker room. Before even getting to the locker room, Cousins embraced Vikings’ owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, and General Manager Rick Spielman. They worked to sign Cousins two years ago, and it paid off Sunday in the biggest moment of Cousins’ career.

“I think it was just about him solidifying himself, all the bad rhetoric that he gets all the time about this or that. I just felt like it was time to tell a lot of people that he’s our guy and he did it,” Zimmer said.

Cousins accepted the game ball, thanked his defensive teammates for limiting Drew Brees and the Saints to 20 points and said it was a team win. He then said, “I have three words for you: You like that?!” The locker room exploded.

Cousins finished the biggest game of his career 19-of-31 for 242 yards, the touchdown to Rudolph and no turnovers. He had a 96.4 rating. Solid, efficient and he made the big throws in the game’s biggest moments.

“My journey has always been one of when you climb a mountain and you sit there at the top and you look around, you realize there’s only more mountains to climb. Now you win a playoff game, guess what? There’s more mountains to climb. You want to win another playoff game, you want to get to the Super Bowl. You just keep chasing the next mountain,” Cousins said Sunday.

Zimmer made one thing very clear on Monday: He had no interest in giving the ball back to Brees and the Saints in overtime. Brees had just finished leading the Saints back from 10 points down with a touchdown to Taysom Hill, and a game-tying field goal with seven seconds to play.

Cousins got his moment, and his three veteran receivers came through with the season on the line.

“You get into overtime and you’re trying to win the game. It’s not like we want to play two more quarters or something like that,” Zimmer said.

It wasn’t the “Minneapolis Miracle,” but it was a walk-off touchdown to beat the Saints in the playoffs for the second time in three years.

While fans are still celebrating, the Vikings are moving on and getting ready to head to San Francisco this weekend. Two years ago, the Vikings were one win away from playing in a Super Bowl in U.S. Bank Stadium. After that emotional win over the Saints, the Vikings struck first at Philadelphia in the NFC title game before losing 38-7 in one of the worst performances in the history of the organization.

This Vikings roster is similar to the one that lost to the Eagles after the “Minneapolis Miracle.” Zimmer said Monday he expects his team to be mentally ready when they take the field Saturday against the 49ers.

“A lot of the guys that are here were here before so I feel like they’re a veteran team. They understand, we actually had a couple guys saying ‘Hey, calm down’ in the locker room. We’ve got to get ready to go play again. So I’m hopeful it’s like that,” Zimmer said.

It’s a short week for the Vikings, who will treat the week essentially like they’re coming off playing a Monday Night Football game. Players got Monday off, practice resumes Tuesday and they’ll face the 49ers Saturday afternoon, just six days removed from a huge playoff win.

Zimmer says he won’t let the short and rushed week be an excuse for the on-field performance.

“It’s playoff time. It’s big boy football now,” Zimmer said.