Kirk Cousins volition beryllium a Week 1 starter for the 11th clip arsenic an NFL quarterback, this play for the Las Vegas Raiders astatine property 38 successful his 15th season.
“He’s played truly bully football,” Raiders manager Klint Kubiak said past week. “I’m truly blessed with each 3 of our quarterbacks. Kirk’s had a truly bully offseason, a precise bully camp, and he’s earned it.”
Cousins volition commencement what’s each but guaranteed to beryllium his lone play successful metallic and achromatic Sunday astatine Allegiant Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. Fernando Mendoza was drafted archetypal successful April to beryllium the franchise’s semipermanent quarterback, but Cousins gets the motion for present arsenic 1 of the NFL’s astir productive passers.
A four-time Pro Bowl honoree, Cousins ranks sixth among progressive quarterbacks successful passing yards (44,700), 5th successful touchdowns (298) and ninth successful passer standing (96.8).
Here’s however his archetypal 10 Week 1 starts went:
2015 — Cousins debuted arsenic a Week 1 starter successful his 4th play with the Washington Commanders, who hosted the Miami Dolphins successful what amounted to his 10th vocation start. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and 2 picks successful a 17-10 loss.
A precocious fourth-quarter thrust into Miami territory ended connected downs aft consecutive incompletions.
2016 — Cousins started a 2nd consecutive play for the Commanders, beaten down astatine location by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In a 38-16 evisceration, helium completed 30 of 43 passes for 329 yards with 2 intercepetions. The Steelers built a third-quarter, three-score lead.
2017 — In his past Week 1 commencement for Washington, Cousins caught his 3rd consecutive nonaccomplishment — a 30-17 location decision astatine the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. In completing 23 of 40 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown, helium was picked successful the 4th fourth down 2 points.
And besides strip-sacked for a touchdown down 5 successful the closing minutes amid 4 sacks total.
2018 — Cousins signed with the Minnesota Vikings and made the archetypal of six Week 1 starts, winning for the archetypal clip connected opening day. While hosting the San Francisco 49ers, Cousins went 20 of 36 passing for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns — staking Minnseota a three-score pb successful a 24-16 win.
2019 — Minnesota’s rushing discourtesy carried the load successful a 2nd consecutive Week 1 triumph for Cousins, a 28-12 location triumph implicit the Atlanta Falcons. Cousins rushed for a 1-yard people and went 8-0f-10 passing for 98 yards, helping the Vikings to a 28-0 lead.
2020 — Cousins was connected the losing extremity of a 43-34 shootout astatine location against the Green Bay Packers, completing 19 of 25 passes for 259 yards 2 touchdowns and an interception. He besides took a first-quarter information arsenic Aaron Rodgers passed for 364 yards and 4 touchdowns.
2021 — For the archetypal clip arsenic a Week 1 starter, Cousins quarterbacked connected the road, losing 27-24 to the Cincinnati Bengals successful overtime. Down 10 points successful the last 4th — connected his mode to 36-of-49 passing for 351 yards and 2 touchdowns — Cousins led a touchdown thrust and followed with a field-goal thrust from his ain 5-yard enactment successful the last 2 minutes.
A fumble from moving backmost Dalvin Cook allowed a three-and-out for Minnesota successful overtime.
2022 — Cousins ensured the Vikings rolled to a 23-7 location triumph implicit Green Bay with 277 passing yards (23-of-32 passing) and 2 touchdowns. His 2 first-half scores to Justin Jefferson helped Minnesota people a 17-0 halftime pb and seashore successful the 2nd half.
2023 — In his last Week 1 commencement for Minnesota, Cousins completed 33 of 44 passes for 344 yards, 2 touchdowns and a prime successful a 20-17 location nonaccomplishment to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The prime came successful the reddish portion successful the closing moments earlier halftime and the last possession for Minnesota down 3 successful the 4th fourth ended aft a three-and-out.
2024 — Having signed with the Atlanta Falcons to marque his astir caller Week 1 start, Cousins debuted — and returned from the torn close Achilles that ended his tenure successful Minnesota — with 2 interceptions successful an 18-10 location nonaccomplishment to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He besides completed 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards and a score, but his interception with 2:49 to play loomed large.
Contact Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected X.
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