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Redskins vs. Vikings: Previewing Kirk Cousins’ revenge game, matchups to watch, more

By Jacob Camenker

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 20: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the start of the game aganist the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 20, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 20: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the start of the game aganist the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 20, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 20: Quinton Dunbar #23 of the Washington Redskins reacts to a play against the San Francisco 49ers in the game at FedExField on October 20, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 20: Quinton Dunbar #23 of the Washington Redskins reacts to a play against the San Francisco 49ers in the game at FedExField on October 20, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Redskins defense vs. Vikings offense

On the defensive side of the ball, the Redskins are going to be dealing with something that may not scare some fans, but it should. That would be Kirk Cousins.

Yes, we’ve all seen what Cousins is capable of in big games. He tends to choke. Or at the very least, he doesn’t play up to the standards that he needs to in order to get the win.

But let’s not kid ourselves. The Redskins aren’t a very tough opponent. Cousins should feast on them, especially given that he will be out for revenge.

Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders /

Washington Commanders

And, oh yeah, it’s worth noting that Cousins is on one of his patented hot streaks. He has been excellent over the course of the past three games. As Redskins fans know, these streaks don’t often last for more than four or five games. But where the ‘Skins aren’t a difficult opponent, Cousins could continue to play very well and keep up the illusion that he is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL for at least another week.

One complicating factor for Cousins is that his receiving corps is a bit thin. Adam Thielen, his best receiver, left Sunday’s win over the Lions with a hamstring injury. Soft-tissue injuries tend to linger, so expecting him to play on Thursday night is unrealistic. Stefon Diggs is still excellent, but Quinton Dunbar has been great this year. If he shadows Diggs, that could give the team a chance to eliminate the top passing weapon for Cousins and it least make his life more difficult.

Beyond Diggs and the injured Thielen, the Vikings have Olabisi Johnson, Laquon Treadwell, and tight ends Irv Smith Jr. and Kyle Rudolph as their top receivers. Cousins can move the ball with these players, as he did last week against Detroit, but if Diggs is limited by Dunbar, the Redskins could hang around a bit more than people expect. For that reason, this matchup is a critical one to watch.

As for the run game, this should be a strength-against-strength battle for the Redskins. They have an excellent defensive line consisting of Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, and Matt Ioannidis. Meanwhile, the Vikings have Dalvin Cook, who is having one of the best seasons of any running back in the league. The great equalizer for Washington is that the Vikings’ O-Line is only decent at best, so they may have a chance to disrupt running lanes.

And on the edge, Montez Sweat and Ryan Kerrigan will need to get pressure. The Vikings don’t have the best offensive tackles, so if they can pressure Cousins, that will make his life more difficult.

This side of the ball is a bit more balanced with Thielen likely out. But still, the Vikings offense has been hot lately and the Redskins defense is prone to putting up duds. It’s possible that they could fold in a short week on the road, so the edge certainly belongs with the Vikings on this side of the ball.

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