Packers’ defense has fluke game against Viking’s Kirk Cousins

If you’re just looking at the box score from the Green Bay Packers’ loss to the Minnesota Vikings, it looks like the Packers’ defense was completely torched. Although that’s not exactly wrong, there were a number of 50/50 plays that went entirely the Vikings and Kirk Cousins’ way.

Coming into the day, the Packers’ defense was lauded as one of the most improved and best units in the entire NFL. They were the third overall defense and coming off consecutive weeks of shutting down Kyler Murray (they held the Cardinals to 21 points), Patrick Mahomes (13 points) and Russell Wilson (zero points). Cousins appeared to be up next.

Unfortunately, Green Bay struggled to shut down the Vikings’ vaunted passing attack. They specifically forgot to cover Justin Jefferson on a number of plays and the second-year wide receiver had a monster day with eight receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown. Following a Greg Joseph field goal to lift the Vikings to a victory as time expired, Cousins finished the day 24-35 for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

That’s where the box score doesn’t tell the entire story.

The Green Bay Packers’ defense failed to live up to their high ranking against the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The Packers got after Cousins in this game and forced him to make a number of rash decisions. Unfortunately, Cousins was playing with a rabbit’s foot up his you know what and continued to get away with poor decisions time and time again.

Perhaps, the first example came midway through the second quarter. The Packers got pressure up the middle–a constant theme in this game–making it difficult for Cousins to step into any throw. Still, the Vikings’ quarterback decided to target Jefferson deep, but wasn’t able to get enough on the throw, forcing Jefferson to slow up.

Darnell Savage was coming over from across the middle and was late targeting the ball. If he would’ve found the ball earlier it should’ve been an easy interception. Instead, he was called for a frustrating defensive pass interference call that gave the Vikings 40 yards on a penalty. The Vikings later scored on a touchdown when an actual Cousins interception was nullified because of Kingsley Keke’s helmet making contact with Cousins’ helmet on a quarterback hit.

Cousins nearly gave the Packers another gift in the third quarter. On first-and-10 with 3:35 remaining, he aired a long ball out into double coverage. Savage found the ball this time, but Adam Thielen was able to come over and knock it out of his hands.

Later in that same drive with time expiring in the third, Preston Smith made mincemeat of his man on the outside and strip-sacked Cousins near mid-field. Only, the ball bounced neatly right into the left tackle’s arms who had just been burned by Smith.

Following a Packers’ touchdown to give them a 24-23 lead late in the fourth, the Vikings methodically drove down the field as they were trying to take as much time off the clock as possible. Facing a third-and-10 from the 24-yard-line, the Packers sent the house and forced Cousins to loft the ball into the air off his back foot. With Stokes in a perfect defensive position, Jefferson was able to create just enough space to catch the ball and get into the endzone to put Minnesota up 31-24 following the two-point conversion.

Cousins would show off his incredible luck two more times following a quick 75-yard touchdown strike from Aaron Rodgers to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. He threw another should-be interception up for grabs on his first play from scrimmage. Savage appeared to make the play this time and it was ruled an interception on the field. Unfortunately, the refs reviewed it and ruled it incomplete, saying Savage didn’t complete the process of the catch when the ball slipped out when he was on the ground.

Later in the drive, Cousins bails on another throw off his back leg and tried to gift Green Bay with a pick-six. Only, Rasul Douglas wasn’t able to locate the ball early enough and actually ran past it by a yard, allowing Thielen to make the grab and head upfield for a big gain.

At the end of the day, you have to tip your cap to the Vikings. They continuously made the plays they needed to and came away with a victory.

The Packers’ secondary definitely needs to improve their ball skills. They missed a number of game-changing opportunities that continued to fall into their lap time and time again. It’s hard to think all of those 50/50 balls (at best) will go the Vikings way the next time these two teams meet in January.