Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins Explains His Decision Regarding Justin Jefferson That Ultimately Ended Their Season

Kirk Cousins, the quarterback for Minnesota, completed a 13-4 season-ending throw on fourth and eight against the Giants, gaining many yards on the wrong side of the line. During the Netflix series Quarterback, Cousins discussed the crucial postseason choice.

Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins Explains His Decision Regarding Justin Jefferson That Ultimately Ended Their Season

Kirk Cousins chose to throw to tight end T.J. Hockenson on fourth down with less than two minutes remaining in the Vikings’ NFC Wild Card game against the Giants with a seven-point deficit, bypassing top receiver Justin Jefferson at a crucial time that eventually led to the Vikings’ season-ending.

Why did Cousins choose a strong tight end who fell well short of the first-down threshold instead of the Offensive Player of the Year?

“When you throw it short of the sticks like that and he’s tackled, you know, you get a lot of grief for it,” Cousins said. “But Justin [Jefferson] was doubled, and just instinctively it felt careless to just throw it to him with the game on the line like that.”

But because Justin was doubled, it felt reckless to just send the ball to him with the game on the line.

When Cousins realized he had little chance of gaining a first down, he said that he had “two bad options”: pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson or be sacked.

The wide view in the show shows that Jefferson was actually double-teamed. However, Jefferson had already taken off after receiving the ball, and it appeared as though the safety was about to be caught off guard by racing too quickly in Jefferson’s direction.

For the sixth straight year, Cousins, 34, was the offensive coordinator for the eighth-ranked Vikings offense. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Perhaps Cousins should have noticed something—or might have—that would have given him reason to think the safety could misplay the ball in that location. Or perhaps the season as well as the game were on the line, and the safety was just unable to handle a talent like Jefferson.

 

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