Kirk Cousins' Vikings Return Sets Up Lambeau Showdown

What first started off here in the NFC North here, Kirk Cousins going back home to the Minnesota Vikings, gives them a puncher's shot in this, going to Lambeau Field. It's a pretty good-looking football game now with a guy who, if you look at the first three years, Kyle, Justin Jefferson almost had 5,000 receiving yards with him as the quarterback in the building. You know, you put a competent guy in there for Kevin O'Connell like you had a couple years ago with Sam Darnold, a team with 14-3, and that defense is lights out. What says you in this ballgame there at Lambeau? Yeah, I'm surprised that Green Bay stayed a three-point favorite here. I get that it's a home game, and I get that they beat the brakes off of Minnesota back in week one. But you're talking about a Vikings team that's as good as anybody. And the way they play just keeps every game tight. And then Kirk Cousins, you bring in a guy that, in theory, gets them over the hump in the last five, ten minutes of these games. I think this one's going to be fun. I think Green Bay overachieved in week one. And again, that was forever ago, but they hit Christian Watson for an 81-yard touchdown. To start that game, and you get the bus moving like that, you put Minnesota behind, and they're in a tough spot, but now you've got this defense rolling, just absolutely rolling. I think they take away what Green Bay does well, which is why I think this is competitive. I can't help but think we're going to learn about what Jordan Love is. If he's just a deep ball savant, and that's what he is. Maybe that wins this game. I don't think it wins a Super Bowl. If he can adjust and beat a good defense in a reasonable, mature kind of fashion, I think we can see Green Bay as a real NFC North victor if they can win this game. You know, Kyle, I go back and forth on Jordan Love. I think he's so streaky. Man, he's been playing some really great football, and he's starting to skyrocket up the MVP conversation. And how well he's played this year. What says you on him? I mean, is that a guy who can go out and win yourself a Super Bowl? I mean, look at the odds right there. I mean, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, Joe Burrow. And then you got Jordan Love sitting there, man. I mean, he's really had a great year. And Kirk Cousins next on that board. I like that. I see that. I think that's probably a little optimistic. I'd go Caleb Williams and those guys over him. But when it comes to Jordan Love, can he win a Super Bowl? Yes. You want to know why? Because he could win four games in a row. He could get hot. But to do that, you need to play well for four months, which is where I think the rubber kind of meets the road. I'd be surprised if this is the kind of guy that strings together months in a row at a time But for a guy that can do it like that for... Three, four games in a row. I do think he's on the radar of guys that can do that. I just worry that this team has no duality. They can play defense right now, and they'll get Michael Parsons back. They can't run the ball. And right now, they're just chucking it deep every time. And it's working. Don't get me wrong. It's working great right now. Does it stick? Does it last through January? Color me a little pessimistic. But if they can do it for a second time this season against this Minnesota defense, I'd open my mind to it. How about this, Kyle? How much does Kyle, how much does a guy like Kirk Cousins close the gap for the Vikings on who wins the NFC North? I mean, you could argue that he's the single most impactful piece you could possibly make, right? I mean, that. This Minnesota defense was Super Bowl ready and the offense was, you know, lottery ready. Like they weren't going anywhere with Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, anything like that. He comes in, if he's as good as everybody wants him to be, and I get that this was a younger version of Kirk Cousins when he was thriving, getting Justin Jefferson, like you mentioned, like 100 yards a game. Are we going to see that version of him? Probably not. But if we get 80, 85% of that, then I think they're the favorites to win this division because they're the most well-rounded team. Detroit's got their issues on the defense. Green Bay can't run the ball. Not that Minnesota's great passing the ball or great running the ball for that matter, but they've got the defense. They've got the upside. They've got the receiver one. They've got enough depth across the board. If they win this game, they go into Lambeau week one with Kirk Cousins. I think they're the favorites to win this divisional. Why not the conference?