Vikings QB Kirk Cousins wins NFC Offensive Player of the Week
Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after defeating the New Orleans Saints 26-20 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))
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 307 yards, three touchdowns and leading a game-winning drive in Sunday’s 28-27 victory over the Panthers.
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Cousins threw a pair of touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson, but his last was the most impressive. With the Vikings down 27-21, 1:51 to play and no timeouts, Cousins needed just 65 seconds to drive the Vikings down the field for the game-winning score, which went to Chad Beebe with 46 seconds left.
“It’s just fun to play well and help your team. That’s really where my focus is. You’re only as good as your last game, so you have to keep it going,” Cousins said Wednesday.
Cousins went 34-of-45 on the day, and completed passes to seven different receivers. Adam Thielen was not one of them, as he watched from home quarantined in COVID-19 protocol. It was his fourth straight game with a passer rating of 100 or higher (115.7), with at least 20 passes thrown. He’s also the first quarterback in NFL history to record 16 career games with at least 300 passing yards, three touchdowns and a 115.0 or better rating in his first nine seasons.
Cousins has led the Vikings to a 4-1 mark out of the bye, and his numbers don’t lie. Since Week 8, he leads the NFL in passer rating (124.3), is third with 12 passing touchdowns, third in completion percentage (72.4), fifth in net yards per attempt (8.6) and second in touchdown to interception ratio (12-1).
It’s the fifth time Cousins has earned the NFC Offensive Player of the Month, and first as a Viking. He’s the first quarterback to win it since Sam Bradford in 2017.