The Vikings’ trade deadline shakeup has already changed the feel of this Week 10 NFC North matchup, and the new-look quarterback situation is the biggest reason why. Minnesota comes in at 6-2, while Green Bay sits last in the division at 6-3, and Kirk Cousins is suddenly back in purple and gold for a second debut that could tilt the game.
This one starts with the passing game. If Minnesota tries to win without putting the ball in the air, it’s probably asking for trouble. Green Bay is going to put points on the board, even against a Vikings defense that’s been tough all year, which means Cousins has to be aggressive from the jump.
Kevin O’Connell doesn’t sound interested in easing him in.
“When there’s completions to be had, he’s going to find them,” O’Connell said. “That can be down the field, that can be in the intermediate areas, that can be checkdowns. Kirk is a quarterback that’s understood and progressed at a high level to a place of the power of completion, what it does to a defense, what it does to his teammates, what it does to the rhythm of the offense.
“That’s a unique thing, because he can understand the intent of a play, what we’re trying to get done and then how to attack that and play fast.”
Cousins, for his part, sounds ready for the reset.
“To be back there, wearing the purple and gold, it has meaning,” Cousins said. “But you have to go make it mean something with the way you play.”
He also made it clear that the familiarity with O’Connell matters.
“Kevin knows me,” Cousins said. “(He) knows what I do well.
Kevin knows what I don’t do well. Kevin knows what I can handle, what I can’t handle, and I think that helps.”
That doesn’t mean Green Bay is changing its approach. The Packers are going to keep attacking, and Jordan Love has already shown he can punish a defense that sends heat.
Minnesota blitzes on passing downs at a league-high 72.5%, and it does it from all over the field. Add the noise inside the Vikings dome, and Green Bay has a real communication test on its hands.
“Oh, man, it makes a huge difference,” Love said of playing in the Vikings dome. “Silent count, it's easier for D-line to get a little bit of a get-off.
They kind of know what's coming. But I think, too, just playing there, the environment, the noise, all those things, it throws communication off for an offense.
We can't hear each other.”
Still, Love has been excellent against the blitz. He leads the NFL with 967 passing yards against pressure and is tied for first with 10 passing touchdowns in those situations.
That’s why the Packers can still hit explosive plays even if they aren’t living on deep shots. Matthew Golden and Christian Watson can turn a quick throw into a big gain if Minnesota comes after him.
“Against this defense, you know what it is, you can't get frustrated,” Love said. “There's going to be some times where they get you, or the call we got just isn't good enough versus what they're bringing.
“That's part of it. They'll win some reps for sure, and you just gotta stay focused.”
One of the other swing points here is Justin Jefferson. He posted his season high against Green Bay with 92 yards and two touchdowns, and that kind of production is exactly what Minnesota needs again. Since that game, he has 301 yards and one touchdown over six contests, but the expectation is that Cousins will find ways to get him the ball.
The connection doesn’t have to come on bombs. It can happen in the middle of the field, where Jefferson can turn a modest gain into something much bigger.
Cousins described that process as a matter of staying within the flow of the offense.
“For me, with Justin, it's just play to play, play in and play out,” Cousins said. “You're always going where your reads take you, and Kevin [O'Connell] will always do a great job of trying to give him opportunities.
He's always done a great job of making us look smart. I think that's what my approach will be again.
“You don't go chasing things, but you also understand the player that he is, and you go where your reads take you. You know that he tends to make you right when you throw him the ball in his direction.”
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