Kirk – We Need Four In A Row

Aloha Skoloholics! It sure feels good to talk about the Vikings actually playing playoff football this year. I’m grateful that new head coach Kevin O’Connell and new GM Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah have been able to instill a fresh culture within the Vikings organization. The team has experienced a great deal more success this year, especially in the W/L column, even though they may not look as good on the stat sheet. This fact stands out at the quarterback position more so than at any other position.

Kirk and Dalvin in 2022-23

In 2023, Kirk Cousins put up the most attempts of his career. This helped him to amass over 4,500 passing yards, but this was mainly due to frequency. Kirk’s Y/A was the lowest of his career at 7.1 yards/attempt. He threw fewer touchdowns than last year, and twice as many interceptions. Looking at the stat sheet, you’d say that he had an off-year, yet the Vikings ended the season at 13-4. Dalvin is having a down year, as it took him all 17 games to amass the same yardage total that he reached last year in 13 games.

Comparing Kirk’s and Dalvin’s play with the team’s record, and you could say that coaching has played a vital role in the Vikings success this season. I would say that it is safe to assume that the new front office and coaching staff has had a positive effect. I feel confident heading into the playoffs that the coaching staff will be up to the task.

Vikings

Looking at the season, you have to wonder how the Vikings could play so well against a team like Buffalo, yet lay a stinker against Dallas a week later. How they can look like absolute garbage in the first two quarters of the Colts game, but look like world-beaters in the second half and overtime. The obvious place to start is at the most important position on the team. Below is Kirk Cousins’ stat sheet from ESPN. I color coded the Rating and QB Rating columns to make them easier to see. Red means good play, blue means bad.

As you can see, Kirk struggled in the games that the Vikings lost. “Well, duh” you might say. I’d agree, but it’s good to see the numbers match what we watched in those games. Four common themes you will see on Kirk’s stat sheet in the team’s losses is 1) low completion %, 2) fewer passing yards, and 3) interceptions, and 4) sacks. These are four potential pitfalls that the Vikings must avoid, or at least minimize, if they want to go anywhere.

This all starts with protection. If the Vikings want to progress in the playoffs, they are going to have to protect Kirk Cousins against a formidable Giants pass rush, and Kirk will also have to be prepared to hit the hot route when the pressure is coming. If the O-line and Kirk can work together to minimize the pressure, I feel it will solve the completion % and low completion issues, and hopefully will help to avoid turnovers. The Giants got four sacks in the Christmas Eve game, but it led to no interceptions, and Kirk still managed to put up a very successful game.

Four In A Row

We’ll need to see performances from Kirk like we saw in the last Giants game. He’ll have to avoid the mistakes that will kill a team playing in the playoffs, mainly turnovers. If he can put together solid games, the Vikings can beat any team, or at least have a chance to win the game. Kirk, we’re going to need four of these in a row, so LET’S GO!!!! SKOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!