New Orleans Saints: Will fans see Minneapolis miracle 2.0 in 2019?
By Sean Nief
Cousins not Keenum
The game, of course, won’t just be decided by one wide receiver matchup.
There can’t be a miraculous catch without a quarterback throwing the ball to him. This year, instead of Case Keenum, who is now playing with the Washington Redskins, Brees is facing a more adept Kirk Cousins.
So how does Cousins compare to his predecessor Keenum?
Whereas Keenum had been a journeyman in the NFL before arriving in Minnesota, Kirk Cousins was a sought after free agent before joining the Vikings.
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Cousins was a 4,000+ yard passer in his last three seasons with the Redskins and although his first season with the Vikings didn’t produce a great record he still posted impressive numbers. He broke 4,000 yards in his first season as a Viking, something Keenum has yet to do in his career.
This season is the first in five years that Cousins hasn’t surpassed 4,000 yards passing, but the Vikings did have a stronger record. However, there is still serious doubt about Cousins’ ability to deliver in clutch situations.
In his career, Cousins is a horrible 7-30 against teams with a winning record and the Saints are definitely a winning team.
Being a gunslinger may help him make some big plays, but he has more game-sealing interceptions than game-winning touchdowns. With that kind of history, it’s unlikely the Vikings would even be in a position to make a game-winning play.
That’s not to say that it’s impossible, but it may solidify the case that the Minneapolis Miracle was only possible as a result of an unlikely quarterback, a rising star receiver and an overly aggressive rookie safety.