Monday Night Football is Kirk Cousins’ Achilles heel

Kirk Cousins hates Mondays, but who doesn’t?

In their first game of the ‘22- ‘23 NFL season and home opener, the Vikings cruised through the Green Bay Packers, winning by 16 points, 23-7. Everything about the team looked amazing that Sunday afternoon.

Many thought the Vikings would have taken the momentum from week one and do the same against the Philadelphia Eagles in their next game on Monday, Sept. 19. They did not. Once the clock struck zero in the final quarter of the Vikings’ week two game, their record dropped to 1-1, losing 24-7 against the Eagles on Monday.

At halftime, the Vikings entered the locker room with seven points and failed to score another time in the second half. How? “Monday Night Football” is how.

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins started his NFL career with zero wins and nine losses in starts on “Monday Night Football.” It is rumored that he can’t perform in primetime games, specifically Monday nights, and it is hard to ignore when his record in those games is considered.

Cousins’ last two games on Monday nights, both against the Bears, ended in wins by slim scores of 19-13 in 2020 and 17-9 in 2021. In more recent Monday night history in Philadelphia, Cousins threw for 221 yards completing just shy of 59% of his pass attempts, one of them for a touchdown.

He also surrendered an uncharacteristic three interceptions. In the entirety of last season, Cousins only threw seven interceptions. That is a career low in seasons in which he started all 16 games. In the Vikings’ matchup against the Detroit Lions last Sunday, Cousins threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns while completing 58.5% of his passes.

He came up clutch late in the fourth quarter when he connected with K.J. Osborn for a 28-yard touchdown to secure a 28-24 win at U.S. Bank Stadium. Cousins overcame two 10-point deficits in the win and holds the longest streak of games with a touchdown pass, throwing for a touchdown in his last 33 games. The Vikings do not have any more Monday night football games for the rest of the season, thankfully.

Regardless of Cousins’ performance on Monday nights, I am a big believer in his ability to lead this team to a deep playoff run. He is statistically one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league and is coming off a great season.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell is also a big believer in Cousins’ ability to lead this team. So, if you aren’t already, it is time to jump on the Kirk train. He isn’t going anywhere. The next time Cousins and the rest of the Vikings take the field, it will be in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:30 a.m. CT.

Let’s hope the Vikings can take their momentum from last week’s win and grab another against the New Orleans Saints. It’s almost Kirktober time.