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Vikings’ Cousins: INT issues could cost my job

Field Level Media

October 18, 2020 at 11:20 pm.

Kirk Cousins’ position as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings is secure, but someone is saying that might change if his interception count keeps growing.

Cousins threw three interceptions in Sunday’s humbling 40-23 loss to the previously winless Atlanta Falcons. He has tossed an NFL-worst 10, and it is Cousins who is sharing the opinion that the turnover issues could cost him his job.

“The reality is if the pace I’m on in terms of the interceptions, if that were to continue, I won’t finish the season,” Cousins said. “I won’t — you know what I mean? There’s a little bit of, you got to improve. Whether it’s them telling me, ‘Hey we gotta improve,’ or them pulling me — we got to get better.

“That’s what the rest of the season will be about for me, is trying to protect the football as best I can. Because when you turn the ball over, it really hurts your chances to win. I know that. I just need to improve as we look ahead to the rest of the season.”

Cousins’ 10 picks in just 175 pass attempts is alarming, particularly due to the fact he threw just six in 444 throws last season.

Cousins’ career high for interceptions is 13 in 2017 in his final season with Washington.

He finished Sunday’s contest with a season-high 343 passing yards against Atlanta and also tied a season best with three scoring passes. But that second three-interception game of the season was foremost on Cousins’ mind after the Vikings fell to a dismal 1-5.

“I need to correct it,” Cousins said. “I need to finish the season with a different story, regarding the interceptions, so that’s something I need to improve with the remaining games we have. I don’t know that I’d limit it to the interceptions. I think it’s just the entire offensive performance. It’s just, I need to be better, we need to be better.”

All three of Cousins’ interceptions came in the first half against the Falcons.

Coach Mike Zimmer was asked if he considered making a change and simply said, “No.”

Making matters worse, Cousins’ two-year, $66 million contract extension begins next season.

The Vikings now enter a bye week that will seem exceptionally long due to the club’s woeful start. Zimmer said the offense will be closely scrutinized during the break.

“I think that’s something we need to look at here starting tomorrow when we get back in and figure out where we’re at, where we plan on going and kind of go from there,” Zimmer said.

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