Minnesota Vikings fans still haven’t forgiven Kirk Cousins for leaving the franchise.
At the start of Sunday’s game, Minnesota fans cascaded Cousins with boos. Perhaps it impacted his psyche.
Early in the second quarter, Cousins tossed an interception to Vikings safety Josh Metellus on a 1st-and-10 at Minnesota’s 47-yard line.
Cousins starred for the Vikings from 2018-23, making three Pro Bowls during that time frame. He and Minnesota failed to agree to a new contract this offseason, so he signed a four-year, $180M deal with the Falcons in free agency.
After going 6-3 in his first nine starts, Cousins has cooled recently. Entering its matchup against Minnesota, Atlanta has lost three straight games. Cousins, 36, has tossed no touchdowns and six picks during this stretch.
Meanwhile, the Vikings signed QB Sam Darnold to a one-year, $10M deal to replace Cousins, and he has exceeded expectations. Through his first 12 starts, the 2018 No. 3 overall pick ranked 10th in the league in passing yards (2,952) and fifth in TD passes (23).
Darnold’s superb play has kept the Vikings in the playoff hunt. As of Sunday, ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Minnesota a 99.7% chance to make the postseason.
