The Minnesota Vikings are under pressure in the play-off race. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was on the Injury Report for the first time in years during the week, will have to overcome his poor form against the Rams.

Munich/Minnesota – Actually, the Minnesota Vikings’ Injury Report on Wednesday would have been nothing special. Actually.

But because there was an unusual name on it, the listing was given more importance than usual. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, for example, was listed with a rib injury he suffered in the Monday Night Game against the Chicago Bears.

This is special because the playmaker has not appeared on an Injury Report in eight years now. So this was a first for the Vikings, with whom he has been under contract since 2018 and who take on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.

Cousins first on Injury Report

The 33-year-old joins Tom Brady as the only NFL quarterbacks who haven’t missed a game due to injury in the past seven seasons (since 2015, when Cousins was named a full-time starter).

No one was really worried about the signal caller’s limited practice, as he was able to participate in at least some drills, but the situation around U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is tense nonetheless.

The franchise moved into the last playoff spot in the NFC with a 17-9 win over the Chicago Bears. But there is no reason to relax. With the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints, two other teams have the same record.

Los Angeles Rams at Vikings

And both opponents are up against supposedly easier opponents in Week 16. So Philly plays against the New York Giants and the Saints against the Miami Dolphins.

The Vikings, on the other hand, are quite different. The Los Angeles Rams are one of the best teams in the league, whose defence is solid and whose offence features Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. Hard work for the Vikings’ defence.

The presence of Kirk Cousins is all the more important. The 33-year-old has gained enough experience in the fight for a play-off spot. But that doesn’t make him a panacea by any means.

Cousins recently with weak performances

So Cousins did not deliver good performances especially in the last two games. Three interceptions, quarterback ratings of less than 70 – against the Bears he even managed a meagre 87 passing yards, the fewest ever in his 118 NFL games as a starter.

In order not to miss the postseason like last year, one thing is needed above all against the Rams and in the last two regular-season games: a fit and improved Kirk Cousins.