When the Vikings Week 1 opponent was announced, it looked like Minnesota was done a huge favor in getting to host Tampa. The NFL essentially gave the Vikings, on paper, the easiest game of their season to begin the year. With the Eagles, Chargers, and Chiefs looming in three of the next four weeks, the season opener basically amounted to a must-win game to start the season for the Vikings who are out to prove that last year’s 13-4 record wasn’t a fluke. Starting the season strongly was also crucial for Kirk Cousins, who goes into the season without a contract next year.
Vikings fans felt great about their chances against Tampa coming into the week. There’s no way that a team that won 13 games last year could lose to Baker Mayfield at home. But of course, anything that seems certain in the NFL usually isn’t. The Bucs ended up winning a battle of anemic offenses, and Minnesota now rolls into Philly on Thursday night 0-1. Minnesota’s season somehow already feels like it’s on life support and the same holds true for Cousins’ tenure at quarterback.
[cta id=4013 type=cta]
Kirk Cousins Displays All His Frustrating Traits in Vikings Week 1 Loss
Kirk Cousins has long been a subject of barroom debates among sports fans. Is he a good quarterback, or isn’t he? The general sense is that if a quarterback is better than Kirk Cousins, then they’re likely a long-term franchise quarterback. Cousins has essentially been the definition of average at the position for the last decade. The Vikings during Cousins’ tenure have also epitomized the play of their quarterback. They’ve consistently been in the middle of the pack with a few playoff berths sprinkled in.
The hope was after a 13-4 first season under Kevin O’Connell that Cousins might finally have figured it out. He had the most consistent year of his career and avoided most of the big mistakes that often plagued him. That’s what made yesterday’s performance so frustrating for fans watching Cousins struggle. Multiple drives that started strongly ended with back-breaking turnovers with the team in scoring position.
The one that swung momentum the hardest was the interception Cousins threw to end a strong two-minute drill to end the first half. He forced a ball into a tight window when there really just wasn’t a reason to take the risk. It was the kind of mistake that veteran quarterbacks should be expected not to make.
Cousins also seemed to take a step back in his pocket awareness. There are times when he just didn’t get rid of the ball before the pressure bore down. Cousins has long been one of the most sackable quarterbacks in the league and that was on full display. If Cousins continues to make big mistakes in crucial moments and take more sacks than necessary, it could be another frustratingly mediocre season for an otherwise talented offense.
Other Vikings Week 1 Underperformers
Ed Ingram
Ingram came into the season as the weak link on an otherwise stout offensive line. He rated among the worst guards in football while starting every game a season ago. He somehow still managed to hold on to the starting job during camp with coaches hoping he’d improve in year two. If anything, he looked worse than he did as a rookie against Tampa. Todd Bowles singled Ingram out as the spot he wanted to attack on the offensive line and brought blitzes relentlessly.
Ingram missed assignment after assignment and was a huge reason for some of the offense’s overall inefficiency. To make matters worse for Ingram, he also appeared to be the cause of the first Cousins fumble by swatting the ball out of his hand at the snap. If his performance doesn’t improve quickly, expect to see Austin Schlottmann starting in his place in the next few weeks.
KJ Osborn
Going into the offseason it looked like Osborn had ascended to the #2 receiver position across from Justin Jefferson. Through no fault of his own, the Vikings then proceeded to take wideout Jordan Addison in the first round. The Vikings feature a ton of three-receiver looks, but Osborn was going to have to prove that he should be ahead of Addison in the pecking order for targets.
Sunday was not a great start for Osborn on that front. He was clearly outplayed by the rookie and wasn’t able to make the most of his six targets. The most memorable highlight was watching a rookie corner rip a touchdown out of his hands for a costly interception. The battle for targets opposite Jefferson is far from settled and hopefully, Osborn can rebound from a rough week.
Vikings Week 1 Silver Linings
Justin Jefferson
Most of the NFL already recognized that Jefferson is the best receiver on planet Earth coming into the season. If Sunday was an indication of what’s coming, he’s likely just going to stay firmly entrenched at the top. He looked noticeably bigger and possibly even more explosive than in years past while racking up 138 first half yards.
The Vikings had a total of three offensive possessions in the second half, so he couldn’t build on those numbers. Regardless, there just didn’t seem to be anything the Bucs could do to slow him down. They even appeared to shift extra help in his direction in their zone heavy scheme. Jefferson’s next act certainly looks like it’s going to be a fun one to watch.
Brian Flores’ Scheme
Brian Flores’ defense actually played pretty well most of Sunday, holding a talented Bucs team to 20 points. His propensity to show heavy pressure fronts had Mayfield guessing all afternoon. It was a welcome breath of fresh air after watching the Vikings play almost exclusively shell coverage last year.
Corners were no longer lining up 15 yards off the ball, and despite the perceived talent mismatch outside, they held their own against the talented duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for most of the afternoon. The front seven was also consistently penetrating the backfield and all but took away the run from the Bucs. The Bucs feature multiple former All-Pros on their offensive line, so that’s no small feat. The defense’s improvement might give the Vikings a glimmer of hope going into Week 2’s game in Philadelphia.
Universal Responsible Gambling Disclaimer: Ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Main Photo: Brad Rempel – USA Today Sports
