Kirk Cousins is back in purple, back in No. 8 and back under center for the Minnesota Vikings. Coach Kevin O’Connell announced on Friday, November 13, that Cousins will start Sunday’s NFC North game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, five days after Minnesota traded for him from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The venue is the twist. Cousins’ last start for the Vikings came at Lambeau on October 29, 2023, a road win in which he went 23-of-31 for 274 yards and two touchdowns before his season ended with an Achilles tear. According to the team, eight different players have started at quarterback for Minnesota in the three years since.
Why the Vikings moved so fast
Minnesota is 6-2 but has lost two in a row, and the offense has not kept up with the defense. The NFL says the Vikings rank first in points allowed and second in yards allowed, yet 27th in points scored and 31st in yards gained.
Kyler Murray, signed as a free agent, won the job in the summer, and J.J. McCarthy was later traded to the New York Giants. With Murray out, Carson Wentz started in Week 9 and completed 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards with three turnovers in a Monday night loss to the Buffalo Bills. The trade for Cousins followed on Tuesday, the last day teams could make trades.
O’Connell sounded convinced after one week of practice. “It’s been really impressive what he’s been able to do and just the command and just getting right back in the huddle with a lot of guys he’s played with, but certainly some guys he hasn’t,” he said.
What Cousins brings from Las Vegas
In nine games with the Raiders, Cousins completed 202 of 315 passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, a 97.1 passer rating. Last week he also moved past Fran Tarkenton into 15th place on the NFL’s career passing list with 47,040 yards.
The gap he is meant to close is stark. His 20 touchdown passes are almost double the 11 offensive touchdowns Minnesota has scored all season, 8 passing and 3 rushing. Put another way, Cousins has averaged about 2.2 touchdown passes per game this year, while the Vikings’ whole offense has averaged about 1.4 touchdowns per game.
His old receivers are thrilled. Jordan Addison, who caught 36 passes for 482 yards and seven scores in his first eight NFL games with Cousins in 2023, put it simply after Thursday’s practice: “It felt like he never left. The chemistry is still there.” Addison is listed as questionable with a thumb injury.
Justin Jefferson has 31 catches for 393 yards and four touchdowns this season, well under his career pace. “It’s definitely exciting to have a guy like him back in the building,” he said.
What is at stake at Lambeau
Minnesota (6-2) and Green Bay (6-3) are both chasing the lead in a division with four winning teams, and kickoff is 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. If you follow the Packers, our recap of Jordan Love’s 372-yard day in a 45-27 win at New England shows what the Vikings defense is up against. For more from around the league, browse the Badiyaa Sports section.
Further reading
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