NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Rashan Gary, Jordan Love, Packers, Vikings

Packers

Packers QB Jordan Love knows there is plenty to fix following yet another loss for Green Bay on Sunday.

“Those are the things that we can look back and say, ‘I wish I could have thrown this ball a little bit farther,”’ Love said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. “But it comes down to execution, making those plays, me making better throws, and guys just going out there and competing and winning when the ball’s in the air. But it’s a great play by [Metellus].”

“I think, obviously, not good enough,” Love replied when asked about the season so far. “It’s been, I think, pretty average to start. We got highs and lows. Myself, it’s too bumpy right now. I need to find consistency in my play, where I’m able to make every play, go to the right place with the ball on every play. And it’s gotta be more consistent from me, and I think that’s where I’m lacking right now.”

Packers HC Matt LaFleur won’t let all the blame go on Love’s shoulders, noting that there were several dropped passes. Meanwhile, LB Quay Walker was also critical of the defense.

“We’ve got to make some plays for him too,” LaFleur noted. “I think we had like six dropped balls. That’s going to be tough to overcome. We’ve got to catch it, we’ve got to throw better, we’ve got to catch it better. We’ve got to block better. We’ve got to stop having penalties that knock us back and put us in these obvious pass situations.”

“Defense wins games,” Walker added. “Just got to come down with that play. We can sit right here and we can blame the offense all we want to, but we’re a team and I hold myself accountable for the play that I did not make. That’s one of them I wish I could get back, but I can’t.”

  • Packers LB Rashan Gary posted the details of his new contract, reporting a value of $107,532,706 with a $34.6 million signing bonus. The deal includes $96 million in new money.

Vikings

Vikings C Garrett Bradbury and RT Brian O’Neill commented on the loss of QB Kirk Cousins, as did HC Kevin O’Connell who is now tasked with preparing rookie QB Jaren Hall.

“It was just weird,” Bradbury said of watching Cousins limp off, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “Whenever the Vikings are out there, Kirk’s out there.”

“You see it day in and day out, how much he takes care of his body,” O’Neill added. “He lives and breathes being durable and out there and available for us. It’s surprising and it hurts. People don’t understand how much he means to us.”

“Every single player in our locker room is thinking about our leader and our guy,” O’Connell said following the game. “I’m just so proud of him. Proud of how he’s played all season long. Whatever is the case, if we don’t have him for one snap or for the duration of our season, that will not change … the level that Kirk Cousins played this year and ultimately what he meant to me and our organization.”

Vikings

  • Per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, O’Connell didn’t necessarily commit to going with the fifth-rounder Hall as the starter going forward following the season-ending injury to Cousins: “I think in my mind we’ve got to take a look at potentially all the options including building the best possible group around Jaren.”
  • O’Connell noted veteran QB Nick Mullens who started the season as the backup is eligible to come off of injured reserve in Week 10. Practice squad QB Sean Mannion is the other quarterback on the roster. 
  • ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out veteran QB Colt McCoy has three years of experience playing for O’Connell and is available. Other options for Minnesota to add at quarterback include Carson Wentz, Joe Flacco, and Matt Ryan.

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