Notebook: Cousins Finds New Route, Determines Favorite Vikings Play

[Viktor]

EAGAN, Minn. — Kirk Cousins: long-time player, first-time caller.


It seems somewhat impossible that in 12 seasons of college (one was as a redshirt) and pro football, during which Cousins has attempted 3,830 passes, that there’s a route that hasn’t been run by a teammate.


The quarterback, however, said Wednesday that such an occasion has happened during this Verizon Vikings Training Camp.


After a big day in the red zone and crisp touchdown pass in the team’s situational drill near the end of practice, Cousins said he was recently talking to quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak about his belief that a route new to him will find success in 2019, his eighth pro season and second in Minnesota.


“I said, ‘That route is going to get run this year, and it’s going to make me a better player,’ ” Cousins said. “I got my list of new plays, but I’m not telling anybody except for the guys within the building.”


Cousins also mentioned that he has “identified” his favorite plays in the playbook.


“I’ve got my list,” Cousins said. “I just told [Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator] Rick Dennison today, we called a play, I said, ‘That’s my favorite play in the entire playbook,’ and I said, ‘It shouldn’t even be legal.’ They should make a rule to make it illegal, but it’s legal.”


August will feature four Vikings preseason games, beginning in New Orleans on Aug. 9, but the Vikings aren’t likely to unveil much of the playbook until the regular-season opener against Atlanta on Sept. 8.


Until then, Cousins said he’s looking forward to having as many game-like situations as possible, including the night practice this Saturday.


“I try to encourage the coaches to create an environment that mimics the game, and sometimes walk-throughs and team periods don’t really feel like a game,” Cousins said. “But that last period, ball is on the plus-33, end of the half, offense is down 10-0, you got one timeout, first-and-10, minute and two seconds left, ‘Go.’


“That mimics the game, so that gives us an opportunity to really feel like we’re in it, and I feel like those are great experiences to have at quarterback,” he added.