Kirk Cousins, Vikings get rocked on Monday night in Philly
The hope the Vikings generated with a convincing win over the Packers in Week 1 ran into a brick wall Monday night when they were pounded in Philadelphia 24-7.
Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions and fumbled once while Jalen Hurts shredded the Vikings defense for 333 passing yards along with a pair of rushing touchdowns. Philly improves to 2-0 and the Vikings drop to 1-1, creating a four-way tie with the Packers, Bears and Lions in the NFC North.
The Vikings had their chances but failed over and over when given life. Minnesota moved the ball to the Philadelphia 19 midway through the third quarter when Cousins was picked off in the end zone by Darius Slay.
On the next drive, following a blocked field goal by Patrick Peterson, Cousins tried to force a throw to Adam Thielen and was intercepted by Avonte Maddox. Again, the interception was thrown with the Vikings inside Philly's 30.
In the fourth quarter, still trailing 24-7, Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks intercepted Hurts and gave Cousins and the offense the ball at the Eagles 9-yard line. After nearly throwing a pick on second down, Cousins was intercepted by again by Slay in the end zone.
Those three interceptions, all in Eagles territory, kept anywhere from 9-21 points off the board for Minnesota. And that was the difference in the game, though defensive woes in the first half put the Vikings in a big hole. That was mostly due to an inability to stop Jalen Hurts.
Philly moved the ball at will on the opening drive of the game, marching 82 yards in 11 plays, ending with Hurts powering his way across the goal line for a touchdown.
Hurts connected with Quez Watkins five minutes into the second quarter for a 53-yard score to put the Eagles up 14-0. Cam Bynum, Minnesota's second-year safety, appeared to blow the coverage, allowing Watkins to sprint into the clear for the easy touchdown.
Minnesota responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive capped off on a two-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to tight end Irv Smith Jr. But Smith would later drop a pass that would've likely resulted in a 63-yard score.
Hurts put the Eagles up 21-7 on a powerful 26-yard scramble late in the first half.
Philly had 347 yards of offense in the first half compared to just 93 for the Vikings, and the bulk of it was Hurts shredding Minnesota in the air and on the ground. Hurts had 251 passing yards and 50 rushing yards in the first 30 minutes, not to mention two touchdown runs and one passing TD.
Hurts finished the game 26 of 31 passing for 333 yards, a touchdown and an interception, along with 57 rush yards and two touchdowns.
Cousins was 27 of 46 for 221 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Up next: Vikings vs. Lions, Sunday at 12:10 p.m.
