Which version of Kirk Cousins under pressure will the Vikings get on Sunday against the Lions? 

As Purple Insider's Matthew Coller reports, Cousins has a history of struggling against pressure, which is any type of defensive rush, be it a 3-man rush or 4-man rush. But Cousins has been a killer against the blitz, which is when a defense brings more than four defenders. 

"You can bet that the Lions are going to go right back and try to repeat what Philadelphia did," Coller said, noting that he expects defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to be "very aggressive" against the Vikings. 

Philly pressured Cousins on 16 of 50 dropbacks, with 12 of those pressures coming via the blitz. He was 5-of-13 passing when pressured, resulting in two sacks, one scramble, two interceptions and one touchdown. 

The Lions blitz more than most teams in the NFL, so it's a good bet that the Lions are going to be bringing the heat. It's just a matter of how Cousins and the Vikings handle it. 

Cousins had a 112 passer rating against the blitz last season with 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions, according to Pro Football Focus. This year, albeit a small sample size, he's 9-of-19 with two touchdowns and a pair of picks against the blitz. 

What's the difference? The Eagles killed Cousins and the Vikings by using zero blitzes (sending the house) against the right offensive looks. That's why, as Coller says, "all blitzes aren't the same."

In 2020, without fans in the stands, Cousins had a 106.9 rating and finished the season with 14 touchdowns and one interception when blitzed. In 2019 he had a 122.2 passer rating with seven touchdowns and no interceptions against the blitz. In 2018, his first year in Minnesota, he posted a 102.3 rating with seven touchdowns and two picks versus the blitz. 

But against pressure overall, which include those blitzes, Cousins has been an average QB. 

• 2018: 83.1 passer rating, 6 TD, 5 INT, 64.0 completion percentage
• 2019: 87.0 passer rating, 8 TD, 1 INT, 54.4 completion percentage
• 2020: 72.0 passer rating, 6 TD, 5 INT, 51.4 completion percentage
• 2021: 72.5 passer rating, 8 TD, 2 INT, 45.9 completion percentage
• 2022: 61.9 passer rating, 2 TD, 2 INT, 46.2 completion percentage

So, yes, he's able to beat the blitz. But that doesn't mean pressure is good for him. Here's the list of quarterbacks who posted a better passer rating under pressure in 2021: 

1. Joe Burrow 92.7
2. Teddy Bridgewater 89.5
3. Russell Wilson 85.1
4. Josh Allen 80.5
5. Matthew Stafford 79.8
6. Lamar Jackson 78.6
7. Dak Prescott 78.3
8. Justin Herbert 77.9
9. Carson Wentz 77.0
10. Patrick Mahomes 77.0
11. Matt Ryan 76.1
12. Mac Jones 75.8

Keep Kirk Cousins clean and he'll shred a defense. Blitz him and he might still shred a defense. But overall, pressure over a long period of time is Cousins's worst nightmare. 

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