Kirk Cousins’ comments aren’t going to fill Vikings fans with confidence

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has 10 interceptions in six games this season.

Kirk Cousins did not hold back in assessing his performance after the Minnesota Vikings dropped to 1-5 with a blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and his remarks are unlikely to make pleasant reading for fans hoping for a miraculous turnaround.

The Vikings looked like one of the worst teams in football as they slumped to a 40-23 loss to a previously winless Falcons team being led by interim head coach Raheem Morris.

Cousins was a significant factor in the Vikings’ struggles. The Minnesota signal-caller threw three interceptions in the first half, including one on the opening play from scrimmage, allowing the Falcons to build a 20-0 halftime lead that proved insurmountable for the Vikings.

He padded his stats in the second half with the game well out of hand, Cousins throwing for 343 yards and three touchdowns. However, the stat that stands out is Cousins’ interception total through six games, which now stands at 10.

And Cousins is under no illusion as to what it will mean if he continues to turn the ball over at such a high rate.

Asked about Mike Zimmer not benching him despite his performance, Cousins, per Chad Graff of The Athletic, said: “You just have to play well in this business and the reality is if the pace that I’m on – in terms of the interceptions – if that continues, I won’t finish the season.”

Those are worrying words for Vikings fans to digest.

At 1-5 there may be little hope of Minnesota turning things around and contending for a Wild Card berth in the NFC, but fans would surely like to hear their quarterback speak with a little more confidence about the remainder of the schedule.

Cousins played like a quarterback bereft of confidence against Atlanta and, as another season slips away, Vikings fans can be forgiven for having substantial doubts about the $66 million extension handed to their quarterback in the offseason.