The Minnesota Vikings were always perceived to be in capable hands from the moment that Kirk Cousins signed with the franchise in 2018. While many argued about the ceiling of Cousins or noted his struggles in primetime games, there was never any denying that he was a steady, overall reliable hand under center.
Or so we thought.
Cousins, of course, left Minnesota in free agency this past offseason, landing with the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, the Vikings signed former first-rounder Sam Darnold, he of seeing ghosts infamy, and drafted J.J. McCarthy in the first round to replace the departed Cousins. McCarthy was lost for the season in training camp with a knee injury, making this Darnold's team.
While it might not have been what anyone saw coming, that's been a blessing for the Vikings thus far. On Sunday, they moved to 2-0 on the season as Darnold led a masterful effort against the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers in a 23-17 effort. And after a solid 200-yard game in a beatdown of the Giants, Darnold delivered a 17-of-26 outing for 268 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, even with losing Justin Jefferson late in the game.
And that begs the question of if Cousins might've been more problem than savior for the Vikings in his time.
With Cousins at the helm of the offense, the Vikings won more than 10 games just once in six seasons, a campaign in 2022 that many called fraudulent and were immediately proven right after losing handily in the Wild Card Round to the New York Giants. What's more, Minnesota also finished with a losing record in two of the five seasons that Cousins was healthy for — we won't pin blame for the 2023 season on him.
But at the same time, it's worth looking at 2023. The Vikings were only 4-4 when Cousins tore his Achilles and went down for the rest of the season. With a combination of Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens and others, they went only 3-6 down the stretch. Given the level of quarterback talent, though, perhaps that's actually a testament to head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Now, Darnold is even more of a testament to the head coach and of Cousins' shortcomings in Minnesota. While he was a disaster-show with the Jets and Panthers as a starter, there was always a reason that A. Darnold was a first-round pick, and B. He kept getting chances. The talent has always been there but it's been about the poor situations and poor coaching. Put him with O'Connell and a great cast of weapons along with an elite line, and lo and behold, he's 2-0 and looking great.
Maybe this is all a bit unfair to Cousins. And we are only two games into a 17-game season, so things could certainly flip on a dime for the Vikings. A win over a team like the 49ers is a statement, though, and based on history, it's hard to feel like the one Darnold made is one that Cousins could've made. That's worth something, even if how much is yet to be fully determined.
