Kirk Cousins was a non-factor in the Vikings’ 24-10 win over the Packers, leaving with what coach Kevin O’Connell said the team fears is a torn Achilles. He suffered the injury midway through the fourth quarter as he dropped back to pass, and he was sacked on the play by Green Bay linebacker Kenny Clark. The 35-year-old is playing some of the best football of his career, and his injury could thwart any chance at a playoff run.
Cousins limped to the sideline with 10:30 remaining in the fourth, unable to put weight on his right leg as he was being evaluated in the medical tent. He was then carted to the locker room for further evaluation. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, he will reportedly have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his injury. The Vikings have a few options at QB with Nick Mullens on injured reserve and rookie fifth-round pick Jaren Hall currently on the practice squad, but the team will likely have to turn to a backup for the rest of the season.
Brutal Day for NFL Starting QBs
The Vikings were among many teams to see their starting quarterbacks leave the game with injuries on Sunday. Matthew Stafford, Tyrod Taylor, Kenny Pickett, and Desmond Ridder exited the game early with injuries. Cousins is the most significant blow of the group, as he’s widely considered one of the top four or five quarterbacks in the league and has led Minnesota to a 4-4 start.
A torn Achilles is a career-altering injury that would almost certainly force Cousins to miss the remainder of the season. The Vikings will likely find a veteran quarterback at the trade deadline or in free agency, but that’s not an easy task.
With Cousins out of the picture, it’s tough to see the Vikings catching the Detroit Lions for second place in the NFC North. They’ll hope that some combination of mediocre quarterback play and some help from the running game can make up for the loss. The good news is that they’ll still have a lot of talented players to work with, including Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Tyler Hockenson. Those guys may have to step up even more to fill the void left by their starting QB.