Football fans and Netflix bingers joined forces this past week when the streaming service launched Quarterback. The show follows Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Mariota, and Kirk Cousins throughout the 2023 season to shed light what life as a quarterback is like in the National Football League.
If you were hoping for this show to be something like Desperate Quarterbacks Of the NFL, you’ll be greatly disappointed. But if you’re a Minnesota Vikings fan, it should give you an idea of why the Vikings should keep Cousins around – at least for 2024.
Before Quarterback, Cousins had a reputation as a solid signal-caller. Vikings fans already knew that Cousins has thrown for 4,000 yards in four of his five seasons in Minnesota. He also tied an NFL record with eight fourth-quarter comebacks last year. They also know that he prefers lucrative one-year deals that can handicap the franchise he’s playing for.
Cousins is an enigma, but he has a solid floor. That’s valuable in Kevin O’Connell’s system.
There are some teams in the NFL that are ready-made for a new quarterback. A team like the San Francisco 49ers can plug Brock Purdy in because they have Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and the league’s best offensive line. The New York Jets are hoping that Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Breece Hall, (and Dalvin Cook?) can do the same for Aaron Rodgers.
The Vikings are on track to do the same, but they’re not quite there yet. Yes, they have Justin Jefferson, and Christian Darrisaw is one of the league’s best young offensive tackles. But there are also questions surrounding their secondary receivers K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison, not to mention a running game led by career backup Alexander Mattison.
Although the offense has a ringleader in O’Connell, that’s also part of the issue. O’Connell’s scheme is complex and takes a while for anyone to master – especially a quarterback.
On Quarterback, Cousins admitted that it was difficult to learn a new offense after being in Mike Zimmer’s zone-based scheme for the past four seasons. Adam Thielen noted the same last summer when he told Pat McAfee that he was “swimming” trying to learn the new offense.
While veterans admitting there was a lot to learn about O’Connell’s system was one thing, performing on the field in that offense was another. It was hinted at one point that Cousins and O’Connell didn’t really start to mesh until a Week 8 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Cousins also told the media he didn’t really feel comfortable until a Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions.
A look at Cousins’ numbers from last season backs that up; he got better as the season went along.
If the Vikings were in a rebuilding state, allowing a rookie to earn his stripes in O’Connell’s offense wouldn’t be a big deal. For a team that is always aiming to be “super competitive,” it’s something to consider when searching for a new quarterback.
But outside of learning the offense, there’s another mental aspect when it comes to bringing it on the field. Cousins suffered a rib injury after sustaining a hit from Washington Commanders defensive lineman Daron Payne. It took him a full week of cold tubs, stretching, and chiropractic adjustments just to get him ready to play the following week in Buffalo.
The win over the Buffalo Bills was exhilarating for Vikings fans on their couch, but it was absolute hell for Cousins. He admitted that the injury made it tough to think. Cousins threw an interception when he believed Jefferson was running a curl route, and he was unable to process when Thielen was trying to give him information on the defense.
Another interesting exchange came at the end of the fourth quarter when Cousins attempted a quarterback sneak. After going low on the play, O’Connell told Cousins he should have gone over the top of the pile to score a touchdown. In all likelihood, it was an attempt to reduce the chance of taking one more shot to the ribs.
By the time the game ended, Cousins didn’t even have the energy to celebrate, wincing with every step toward the locker room.
The Netflix series dive seep into the mental side of the game, not just with Cousins but also with Patrick Mahomes as he willed the Kansas City Chiefs to the Super Bowl.
Mahomes is a physical freak, and it’s documented in his workouts on the show. But the factor that sets Mahomes apart is that he has the mentality of a linebacker playing quarterback.
Some may see this as arrogance, but it’s also the reason Mahomes is successful. After headbutting and screaming at Maxx Crosby, Mahomes goes and throws the game-winning touchdown. After missing a wide-open Jerick McKinnon in the flat, Mahomes takes about 15 seconds to beat himself up before gathering himself for the next play.
It’s something to consider when people discuss Caleb Williams as the next Mahomes. Sure, he may have the physical attributes, but can develop a similarly strong mentality? It’s the difference between a player becoming Mahomes or Johnny Manziel.
These are all things to consider when the Vikings figure out what to do with Cousins next season. They could throw a rookie into the fire. But unless they walk away with Williams, it might be best for them to learn, watch Cousins do it, and take the field in 2025 – much like Mahomes did behind Alex Smith a few years ago.
Even if the Vikings want to save money, a veteran stopgap might not be a good idea. Quarterback showed Mariota’s struggles in that role with the Atlanta Falcons. With the complexity of O’Connell’s scheme, it could take a similar adjustment period to the one Cousins had last season.
This isn’t an endorsement to sign Cousins to an iron-clad, five-year deal. Even Cousins mentioned that his time in the NFL isn’t forever. But he gives the Vikings a sense of stability and a way for the Vikings to continue their competitive rebuild moving forward.
