Lamar Jackson

[CharVike]

Do you actually think players play the same everyday? Mahomes is the only QB in NFL history not to have an offensive TD in the Super Bowl. How's that for a bad day. Re-watching is very easy. Maybe Cousins didn't even see that LBer running towards Hock. Matter of fact why was there even a check down on that play? Every route should have been beyond the maker. This was the last play. Perhaps Hock was a decoy. Maybe JJ was the decoy and Hoch ran too short a route or the LBer saw what we were doing. None of us will ever know the ins and outs of the play. Perhaps Kirk went through the progression tree and Hock was the last man. But that throw to Hock was as risky as it gets. The chance of him making a 1st down from that catch point isn't very good. Basically one in the hundreds. That's a huge risk.

Hock and Cook both had to account for the blitz on the play to help the Oline, that is why they were both short of the sticks. With how the Giants defended the play, if Kirk had rolled to his left or right both Cook and Hock easily pick up a first on those routes. since the defender wouldn't have been able to stop Kirk from picking up the first and cover their guy. That is another reason those routes existed.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, Kirk doesn't even see throwing it up to JJ or KJ, or escaping the pocket as an option. He has said his options were to take a sack or throw to Hock. That is it. If that isn't the definition of a limited QB, I don't know what is.

Every QB has limitation. Even Brady. Your right that's what Cousins said. If that's the last option and he knows our OL sucks don't let it go to the last option. Don't even use those guys as an option. Sure on 3rd down he can. Look for JJ, Osbourne or Theilan and that's it. He either forgot what down it was or just took the dump off or thought the LBers were blitzing and the dump off was the play. Bad read or bad assumptions. It don't really matter. The 49ers or Eagles would have pasted us big time. Another year now of trying for a playoff berth and then an eventual a&& beating. Fans can blame whoever they want. Then it's on to the next pick from the garbage dump or draft choice QB. Hopefully we don't improve tremendously and get beat 14 to 3 because we can't score. I've already seen that act a few times. I don't care to watch it again.

[Maelstrom88]

So far in his career Lamar hasn't thrown for more than 3,127 in a season. That's pitiful. Now how much of that is scheme and how much is lack of weapons? Could KOC project how much he would gain in his system and whether his skills would translate successfully? How much would he be allowed to use his legs to impact the game? Paying JJ 30 million a year is not feasible imo unless you always have a cheap QB or a cheap defense. Do WRs win or QBs? KC made it look like QB. It's irrelevant because we won't acquire Lamar but it's fun to think about.

It might be pitiful if he hadn't also rushed for 1200 yards and 7 tds that same season. He had more rushing yards and only 1 less TD than cook hadst season.

That's great but why hasn't he thrown for more yards in other years when the rushing numbers weren't as prolific? Even in his best year that you are referencing he only amounted to 4,300 all purpose yards. Kirk is better than that most of the time with a horrific line in front of him. If we are going to blame it all on WRs that's fine but he's had Bateman, Watkins, and a few good TEs. Not to mention a great offensive line and run game to go with good defense. If he can't put up better passing numbers than 3,000 without a JJ type then he's not worth what he's asking.

[CharVike]

It might be pitiful if he hadn't also rushed for 1200 yards and 7 tds that same season. He had more rushing yards and only 1 less TD than cook hadst season.

That's great but why hasn't he thrown for more yards in other years when the rushing numbers weren't as prolific? Even in his best year that you are referencing he only amounted to 4,300 all purpose yards. Kirk is better than that most of the time with a horrific line in front of him. If we are going to blame it all on WRs that's fine but he's had Bateman, Watkins, and a few good TEs. Not to mention a great offensive line and run game to go with good defense. If he can't put up better passing numbers than 3,000 without a JJ type then he's not worth what he's asking.

Well they just signed OBJ so that great season he had should be topped easily if he's that great and still on the team. No more 11 TDs. Should be 40+. Don't people realize the impact a QB has on a WR? JJ has had a great career so far. He's played one game without Cousins and we needed him to come through and burn the Packers. He caught a few passes but couldn't score. Was that him giving up or was it Mannion because he sucks? I say it was Mannion. Others might say JJ because he gave up.
Guy like Randy Moss was an out of this world player who made a bum like Cunningham look great his rookie year. As he said just throw it as far as you can dawg. Well Cunningham sucked the following season with Moss and rode on the bench collecting a huge pay check after the 1st month of doing nothing. He didn't give a ####. That's a loser if there ever was one. Even Moss/Carter couldn't save his lame a$$.

[makila]

0.587 career winning %. That loser. *rolls eyes*

Corpse of cunningham didn't live up to the previous record breaking season of 1998? Shocked.

[Cliff]

It might be pitiful if he hadn't also rushed for 1200 yards and 7 tds that same season. He had more rushing yards and only 1 less TD than cook hadst season.

That's great but why hasn't he thrown for more yards in other years when the rushing numbers weren't as prolific?

They weren't as good as his best season, but a QB getting 65+ yards per game is prolific. The dimension that skillset brings to the offense is well beyond a QB like Cousins can provide. If he can stay healthy ...

Even in his best year that you are referencing he only amounted to 4,300 all purpose yards. Kirk is better than that most of the time with a horrific line in front of him. If we are going to blame it all on WRs that's fine but he's had Bateman, Watkins, and a few good TEs. Not to mention a great offensive line and run game to go with good defense. If he can't put up better passing numbers than 3,000 without a JJ type then he's not worth what he's asking.

Cousins has more yards. And yet, if there were no injury issues and all other things were equal as far as salary Jackson is the choice for me and it doesn't seem close. His skillset makes the rest of the team more dangerous too. Imagine what it would mean for the Vikings. Playing deep to cover Jefferson would mean giving Jackson room to run.

Anyway, injuries and salary are a concern in the real world so it's not that simple.

[CharVike]

0.587 career winning %. That loser. *rolls eyes*

Corpse of cunningham didn't live up to the previous record breaking season of 1998? Shocked.

Why do you call him a corpse? How does a player go from one of the best to on the bench the following season? The guy was 36 years old. That's a corpse? We all have opinions about players. He was never considered a great passer even when he was young. He had 2 HOF WRs, a great OL and an explosive RB. His TE was a good player also. Our team was 15-1 and we set a record in points scored couldn't score what they averaged during the season in the champ game. That's not winner. Get in that big game and lite them up. 2 HOF WRs. You known how good that is? Score 45. I hear Cousins called a loser over and over. He don't have 2 HOF WRs or a good OL ect... But he's a loser and RC isn't? That makes sense.

[allday1991]

As Char mentioned with Kirk at least getting the ball off to Hockenson allowed for the chance that he may break a tackle and get a first down. Taking a sack leaves no chance, so if in that play Cousins only chance was to get the ball off to Hockenson he made the right choice.

But that wasn't his only chance. He could have also fired it to Osborn coming out of his break past the sticks. Granted, harder throw, but not impossible and one Kirk has the arm to make. He could also have tried to buy time by moving away from the rush to his right.

Throwing the ball to Hockenson was better than taking a bad sack (which I define by sitting in the pocket and not feeling or reacting to the pressure), but not the best option for a chance to pick up the first down that the Vikings needed there for any chance to win that game.

Kirk would be equally ripped on if he rolled right and got chased down before making a throw. I dunno what to say out of 12 one score games he won 11 of them, everyone knew at some point that had to give.

I'm not sure I agree with that. Kirk would be ripped if he rolled right and held the ball and not attempted to make a throw he could have made, but had he rolled right and been chased down and sacked because nobody was open, I at least would be far less critical of him.

Also, I think it's worth pointing out that at least some of those 11 out of 12 one score games were won because Cousins attempted the more risky throws in similar situations. What he did against the Giants in the playoff loss was actually a regression for him based on the season he'd just had, which makes it all that much more disappointing.

Didn’t KJ drop a catchable pass on 3rd down that would have been good for a first? He doesn’t take any heat.

[VikingLord]

Didn’t KJ drop a catchable pass on 3rd down that would have been good for a first? He doesn’t take any heat.

Is that fair? I think so. Cousins is paid well because he's supposed to be one of the best at his position. If and when KJ Osborne is ever paid like a top NFL WR and he blows an easy catch, trust me, he'll catch h3ll for it too.

[allday1991]

Didn’t KJ drop a catchable pass on 3rd down that would have been good for a first? He doesn’t take any heat.

Is that fair? I think so. Cousins is paid well because he's supposed to be one of the best at his position. If and when KJ Osborne is ever paid like a top NFL WR and he blows an easy catch, trust me, he'll catch h3ll for it too.

Cousins is payed well but when a WR playing in the nfl can’t catch a ball hitting there hands how is a qb supposed to look good? tied the record for most game winning drives and might of had another is KJ catches that. If I was a coach I’d be far more upset with a WR regardless of what stringer they’re if they can’t catch compared to a QB that made a bad decision in situation were you have a split second to make a call, with a oline that got you killed all year (and years before).

[VikingLord]

Cousins is payed well but when a WR playing in the nfl can’t catch a ball hitting there hands how is a qb supposed to look good? tied the record for most game winning drives and might of had another is KJ catches that. If I was a coach I’d be far more upset with a WR regardless of what stringer they’re if they can’t catch compared to a QB that made a bad decision in situation were you have a split second to make a call, with a oline that got you killed all year (and years before).

Fair point. Cousins can't be blamed if he makes a throw that should be caught.

Doesn't change my opinion on Cousins and his future with the Vikings, however.

I wish him well. I really do. I just want to see the Vikings go in a different direction at QB.

[StumpHunter]

Didn’t KJ drop a catchable pass on 3rd down that would have been good for a first? He doesn’t take any heat.

Kirk has even come out and said he made a poor throw on that 3rd down. I actually just rewatched that play and it was even worse than I remembered live. Osborn was wide open and Kirk just threw it behind him. Horrible throw.

[CharVike]

Didn’t KJ drop a catchable pass on 3rd down that would have been good for a first? He doesn’t take any heat.

Kirk has even come out and said he made a poor throw on that 3rd down. I actually just rewatched that play and it was even worse than I remembered live. Osborn was wide open and Kirk just threw it behind him. Horrible throw.

KJ has actually proven to be a very good draft pick. The guy has 110 receptions with 12 TDs the last 2 seasons. He'll get his chance this year to show his stuff and get that 2nd contract. He has a great chance as he should get many one on one opportunities. If Nailor can win the slot job that will be a good young WR crew. He has a chance. Sitting one year for a 6th rounder is not a worry.

[allday1991]

Didn’t KJ drop a catchable pass on 3rd down that would have been good for a first? He doesn’t take any heat.

Kirk has even come out and said he made a poor throw on that 3rd down. I actually just rewatched that play and it was even worse than I remembered live. Osborn was wide open and Kirk just threw it behind him. Horrible throw.

That’s exactly what I’d expect from Kirk being a leader, taking accountability for what he did wrong on a play. It would be way out of Kirks character to say sometimes passes aren’t perfect but if they get close enough as a nfl wr you need to catch those. One thing you can’t never knock Kirk about he wont throw teammates under the bus.