Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings will take on the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium this week. Here are our Kirk Cousins Week 3 predictions as he faces a Lions team that is full of confidence.
Both clubs are 1-1 going into the game, but the Vikings are in an intriguing situation. After beating the Green Bay Packers in week one, they had a major flop against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. That kind of inconsistency is nothing new to Vikings fans. They've gotten accustomed to it in the Kirk Cousins era. As such, maybe coach Mike Zimmer will put the ball in the hands of Dalvin Cook a bit more in this game.
Still, that doesn't mean Cousins won't have a bounce-back performance. With that said, here are our three bold predictions for Kirk Cousins in the Vikings' Week 3 matchup against the Lions.
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Ready for another NFC North challenge.#Skol pic.twitter.com/ygvoB6O8Yh
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 23, 2022
3. Kirk Cousins renews explosive connection with Justin Jefferson
In their Monday Night Football matchup, the Philadelphia Eagles limited Justin Jefferson to just six catches for 48 yards. The Lions, however, won't have any defender of the same caliber as the Eagles' Darius Slay, which means Justin Jefferson might be in for a huge game.
Recall that in Week 1, Jefferson erupted for nine catches, 184 yards, and two touchdowns against a good Packers defense. Jefferson was unstoppable in that contest, and Vikings fans hope he can reprise that kind of performance at home in Week 3.
Much of that, of course, depends on how well Cousins actually passes the ball. The chances of Cousins doing well are high in Week 3, given how the Lions have allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game (273.5) in their first two matches. Again, this is tremendously encouraging for the Cousins-Jefferson pairing. The wide receiver shouldn't have too much trouble getting separation from the Lions' secondary, and Cousins shouldn't have much trouble finding him.
It's reasonable to expect this combo to do just about as well as they did in Week 1. Don't be surprised if Jefferson has a whale of a day. He should gobble up 8+ receptions, 125+ yards, and at least one receiving TD. Remember, too, that Jefferson has averaged over 120 yards in his last three games versus the Lions.
2. Kirk Cousins gets sacked at least twice
The Detroit Lions defense might not look all that improved. The unit has given up 65 points through two games, third most of any NFL team. Their pass rush, though, had a handful of nice highlights in Week 2. After producing just one sack in Week 1, the Lions made life hell for Carson Wentz in Week 2, sacking him five times.
Three of those sacks came from rookie Aidan Hutchinson, while Charles Harris and John Cominsky each tallied one sack. For his part, Kirk Cousins hit the pitch and was sacked thrice by the Philadelphia Eagles last week. That's not the best sign for the Vikings. The Lions' pass rush is on fire right now and will surely make life quite uncomfortable for Cousins. Expect him to get sacked three times at home in this matchup.
1. Kirk Cousins records over 290+ yards and 2 TDs
Kirk Cousins will aim to rebound against the Detroit Lions in Week 3 after a dismal performance in Week 2. Cousins finished with 221 yards, a TD, and three interceptions in their loss to the Eagles.
He is in a fantastic position to put up big numbers here, though. Keep in mind that the Lions have given up 65 points over their first two games. Remember also that they allowed Wentz to pass for 337 yards and three touchdowns last week. This is clearly exploitable secondary for Cousins and the Minnesota offense.
It also helps that the Lions don't have Darius Slay prowling in the secondary. Detroit, in fact, has tallied just one interception so far, and it's highly unlikely they'll tag Cousins for an INT this week. Yes, Cousins threw three INTs against the Eagles, but again, much of that was due to Slay's presence. Detroit doesn't have anyone like Slay so they shouldn't rattle Cousins in the same way. Also, Cousins is 7-1 against the Lions as the Vikings' QB. He's confident he can handle whatever Detroit throws at him.
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