In the spring of 2018, the Minnesota Vikings signed a free agent quarterback hoping to get their team to the next level. After making it to the NFC Championship and losing to the Philadelphia Eagles the year prior, the Vikings front office found it necessary to make a change at quarterback.
Kirk Cousins was given a contract for $84 million guaranteed, the largest contract to any quarterback at the time of his signing. The Vikings received a lot of scrutiny for the free agent acquisition, especially after missing the playoffs in 2018.
Through his first two years with the team, Cousins has had his ups and downs. There have been sacks taken, fumbles lost, costly interceptions and primetime losses through his first two seasons as a Viking. The fact of the matter is, every quarterback has his ups and downs because they are playing the hardest position on the field.
Some players really get taken for granted by both fans and media, and Cousins name should be on the top of that list. Not only has Cousins been playing MVP worthy football in 2019, but he has been the best quarterback in the NFC North since his arrival in Minnesota.
Here are the stats of the four starting quarterbacks in the NFC North over the last two seasons:
Kirk Cousins
Completion Percentage (Avg): 70.1
Passing Yards: 7,572
Passing Touchdowns: 54
Interceptions: 14
Passer Rating (Avg): 105.85
Aaron Rodgers
Completion Percentage (Avg): 63.35
Passing Yards: 7,702
Passing Touchdowns: 48
Interceptions: 4
Passer Rating (Avg): 99.8
Matthew Stafford (Injured in 2019)
Completion Percentage (Avg): 65.2
Passing Yards: 6,276
Passing Touchdowns: 40
Interceptions: 16
Passer Rating (Avg): 97.95
Mitchell Trubisky (Injured in 2019)
Completion Percentage (Avg): 65.55
Passing Yards: 5,663
Passing Touchdowns: 40
Interceptions: 20
Passer Rating (Avg): 91.15
Not only is Cousins leading in the majority of these categories, but he is doing it while throwing the ball downfield more often. According to Pro Football Reference, Cousins ranks third in the NFL averaging 8.4 yards per attempt. The only quarterbacks with a higher yards per attempt are Ryan Tannehill with 9.8 and Stafford with 8.6.
In this category, Rodgers sits in the middle of the league with 7.4 yards per attempt while Trubisky is towards the bottom of the league averaging only 6.2 yards per pass. The screen game is a huge part of the Vikings offense, but Cousins elite numbers go beyond just dumping the ball off to his running backs.
Another important factor to look at is how healthy Cousins has stayed since he arrived in Minnesota. He hasn’t missed a game yet, and if he plays in all 16 games this year he will be the first Vikings quarterback to do so in back to back years since Fran Tarkenton. While watching the Packers, Bears and Lions all struggle with quarterback injuries within the last three years, it’s crucial to note how durable Cousins has been.
Before Trubisky started to struggle in 2019, Cousins seemed to be the primary topic for media and fans to talk about in the NFC North. His guaranteed contract gets placed next to things such as his record against teams with a winning record, road losses and most recently losing on Monday Night Football.
These things get plastered all over Monday Night Football’s broadcast and ESPN’s Twitter, giving Cousins and his play a bad look. Instead of constantly bashing the quarterbacks play, Cousins’ name should be right behind Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson for MVP of the National Football League.
Since Cousins signed his contract in March of 2018, he has been the best quarterback in the NFC North. This isn’t taking anything away from Rodgers, because he is a no doubt first ballot Hall of Famer. It’s simply saying that Cousins has outplayed not only Stafford and Trubisky, but also that same first ballot Hall of Famer.
Cousins is the biggest reason the Vikings sit at 9-4 and have a chance to make a run in the playoffs, and that is why he deserves to be in the MVP talks. Cousins has been making throws that Vikings fans haven’t seen since Brett Favre’s magical season in 2009. It’s time for Cousins to get the respect that he deserves, as a great quarterback in the NFL.
He still has a lot to prove, but Cousins play over the last two seasons should earn him a contract extension, keeping him as the future of the Vikings franchise.