3 Times Kirk Cousins Looked Completely Overwhelmed in Vikings Divisional Round Loss to 49ers
Kirk Cousins had a rough afternoon as his Minnesota Vikings fell to the San Francisco 49ers in Saturday's Divisional Round matchup. He took six sacks and never looked comfortable throughout the entire game. There were several moments from the loss that stand out and perfectly illustrate just how overwhelmed Cousins was all afternoon.
3. The Noise Before His First Snap
Cousins stepped onto the field to start the game and had to squeeze the sides of his helmet just to hear his coaches. It was a tough way for any opposing player to start a game and the crowd being loud so early set the tone for the rest of the contest. Facing the 49ers defense was hard enough. The added noise made it too much.
2. The Richard Sherman Interception
The Vikings took over on offense down 17-10 near the start of the third quarter. Cousins looked to Adam Thielen for a nice gain and instead there was confusion, leading to an interception by Richard Sherman. The veteran saw it coming the whole time and Cousins threw it right into his hands. The pass was never there and the quarterback panicked, digging his team into an even deeper hole.
1. All Six Sacks
The Vikings were forced to pass often late in the game and that meant Cousins had to face immense pressure. The offensive line could not hold up and the 49ers finished with six sacks. Cousins tried to make plays, but simply did not have enough time. He was rattled and it showed as he kept taking shots. The lack of balance on offense made Cousins play hero ball and it didn't work out in his favor.