Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings have gotten off to a slow start during the 2021 NFL season. After coming into this year expected to give the Green Bay Packers a run for their money in the NFC North division race, things have not gone so smoothly. However, following their Week 10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Vikings moved to 4-5 on the year.
Granted, that is still not where the Vikings would prefer to be at this point in time. But they are headed in the right direction and are starting to look more and more like a potential playoff contender in the NFC.
Taking a look at the roster, the Vikings should be a playoff team. They have a stacked offense and a very talented defense. Every single team has holes that they would like to fill, just like Minnesota, but they have the necessary talent to make a run into the postseason.
One of the biggest concerns that the national media has when talking about the Vikings is the fact that Cousins is their quarterback. He has had his fair share of struggles on the national stage. Cousins has had some rough performances when most fans are watching, but he has been a consistently above average quarterback throughout his career to this point.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a closer look at three reasons the Vikings are legitimate contenders in the NFC.
Vikings Are Legitimate Contenders In The NFC
3. The Vikings' offensive weapons are among the best in the NFL
Let's start by taking a look at the offense surrounding Cousins. The Vikings have done an excellent job of adding elite talent to their offense. At the forefront of that talent is the trio of Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook.
All three of those players are without a doubt legitimate superstars. Cook is arguably a top-five running back in the NFL, while both Thielen and Jefferson would be No. 1 options for quite a few teams around the NFL. Minnesota has the weapons offensively to compete with any opposing offense or defense that they will have to face.
Adam Thielen showing DK Metcalf how it is done pic.twitter.com/zEdSKRMcOD
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 15, 2021
Minnesota should feel very powerful on the offensive side of the ball. They can put up numbers in bunches, which puts them in position to win big anytime they take the field. In order for that to happen, they'll need to put everything together on a consistent basis, which is starting to happen and was showcased in Week 10 against the talented Chargers.
2. Minnesota's defense is capable of being very good
No one will argue that the Vikings' defense needs to be consistent and get better as the season progresses forward. Despite that fact, the Minnesota defense has shown signs of being very good.
Following Week 10 action, the Vikings were tied for first in the NFL with 29 sacks. They get to the quarterback better than all but one other team. While they need to find ways to create more turnovers, the pressure is getting there, which is a major key to a defense being elite.
Minnesota likely isn't going to have a top-five defense, but they won't need to with the offense that they have put together. All they need is for their defense to create stops and make things difficult on opposing offenses. The way the defense is currently set up, they are more than capable of making that happen.
1. Kirk Cousins is without a doubt a Super Bowl-capable quarterback
Finally, and most importantly, the Vikings have a quarterback who is more than capable of leading them to the Super Bowl. Even though the national media has a negative impression of Cousins to share, he has been an above average quarterback throughout his entire NFL career.
So far this season, Cousins has completed 68.1 percent of his pass attempts for 2,434 yards, 18 touchdowns and two interceptions. Those numbers are elite compared to quite a few quarterbacks around the league. Cousins has also scored another touchdown on the ground.
One of my favorite throws of the month: Kirk Cousins splitting a triangle of defender’s in zone on 2nd and 20 on his third read. #vikings pic.twitter.com/Us5UMkz8he
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 15, 2021
No matter what the national media says or what anyone tries to share negatively about Cousins, he is a very good QB. He has a great arm and great weapons to work with. The Vikings are in very good hands with him leading the way.
Cousins takes care of the football, makes the right plays, and has statistics that completely ruin any argument that he isn't a winning quarterback. Minnesota's offense will give them a chance to compete with anyone they face. That is why they should be viewed as a legitimate contender in the NFC moving forward this season.
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