The 2021 NFL season is here after what felt like an eternity of an offseason. And, the Minnesota Vikings have a lot of excitement buzzing around the team.
Justin Jefferson, the 2020 first-round pick out of LSU, dazzled in his rookie campaign before being narrowly edged out to Justin Herbert for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Jefferson finished with 88 catches for 1400 yards and seven scores and should see another successful season.
Dalvin Cook battled a couple of injuries, but finished with 1557 yards and 16 touchdowns in 14 games and is showing everybody that he is one of the best running backs in the NFL. Then there's Adam Thielen, old reliable, and Harrison Smith, the Vikings star safety who just inked an extension to stay in Minnesota for another few years to anchor that defense.
The Vikings disappointed, in general, finishing with a 7-9 record and a game behind the Chicago Bears for a shot at the playoffs. This year should be different, hopefully, if everything goes as planned.
But, there is one X-factor that could make or break this season for the Vikings, and it's not Cook or Jefferson.
Kirk Cousins
A quarterback as an X-factor, really?
Yes, and there are a few reasons why. For starters, Cousins played well in 2020. He finished the year with 4265 yards and 35 scores while tossing 13 interceptions. On top of that, besides Thielen and Jefferson, the Vikings receiving corp was not that great.
But, the Vikings finished 7-9. Cousins had three games with multiple interceptions, all three of which resulted in a loss. Now, is Cousins the sole reason for the loss? Of course not, but he needs to take care of the ball a little bit more to set the team up for success.
This offense has a ton of talent and Cousins needs to utilize this talent to the best of his ability if they want to find a way into the playoffs.
Another huge factor is Cousins' vaccination status, which has become evidently clear by now. The quarterback was already in protocols during the preseason, and while this is a personal choice, it could play a major role if he is forced to miss time during the season because of it.
Hopefully that isn't the case for Cousins and the Vikings, but it is a factor that should be concerning for Mike Zimmer. Regardless, Cousins is due $21 million this season and needs to take charge if the Vikings want any shot at making a run in the playoffs in the tough NFC.
Follow Us
Subscribe