Minnesota Vikings studs and duds: Kirk Cousins comes up short in the clutch

Dud: Kirk Cousins, QB

Kirk Cousins has taken a lot of criticism in his career and most of it’s unfair. He proved right out of the gate on Sunday how good he can be. Cousins led the Vikings on a 12-play drive that ate up 6:37 and covered 75 yards.

It looked as though he capped it off with a touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson but that call was overturned. Cousins responded with a one-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. On that drive, he was 7-of-7 passing for 54 yards and the touchdown run.

Cousins continued to throw it with accuracy, finishing 31-of-39 for 273 yards with two touchdowns. As good as that was, he still came up short as he threw the ball short of the sticks on fourth and eight. T.J. Hockenson wasn’t able to convert the first down but he should have never been given the ball in that situation.

Overall, Cousins had a good game but this was a terrible decision and he’s going to have an entire offseason to think about it.

Dud: Christian Darrisaw, OT

The Minnesota Vikings were driving and trying to take the lead as they were behind 24-21. It appeared they had kept their long drive going as they converted a fourth and inches but flags flew in and the play never counted.

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw was hit with the false start and that pushed them back five yards. Greg Joseph tied it up at 24 with a 38-yard field goal but they could have taken the lead with how they were moving the ball.