Vikings Verdict: Judging Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins & Other Overreactions From Win Over Bucs

Let's judge some of the biggest overreactions from Week 3 including Kyler Murray and more.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray's performance in Week 3 left much to be desired and created a lot of discussion among the fanbase. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A hot start has the Minnesota Vikings in prime position to make a playoff run this winter, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows in Minnesota.

Do the Vikings have the right quarterback? Is one coach as good as gone? Let's decipher some big reactions to Week 3 and decide whether or not they're legitimate.

The vibes for a 3-0 team are off

The Vikings are one of just five remaining undefeated teams this season, but scrolling the social media feed, it would be safe to assume the franchise was one step away from folding entirely. The Vikings have the 32nd-ranked offense in yardage and are mostly scraping by thanks to an elite kicker and a madman defensive coordinator. Sure, it's not the most typical path to a 3-0 record, but wins are wins, right?

Vikings fans are cursed with a fate arguably worse than death, and must endure season after season full of disappointment and regret. So forgive us if we don't seem especially grateful for the pretty win/loss column early this season, as we're far too familiar with how this story likely ends.

There's no question that putting up 200 yards a game and then hoping that Brian Flores does Brian Flores things for 14 more games is sustainable. Minnesota is 1st in defensive EPA/play, and while that's encouraging, complementary football isn't a phrase anyone attaches to the current Minnesota Vikings. This doesn't have the feel of a playoff team right now despite the favorable start.

Verdict: Not an overreaction

Kirk Cousins on the 2026 Vikings makes them a contender

After some forgettable years in Atlanta, Cousins has the Las Vegas Raiders at 3-0 while leading the league in touchdown passes. The 38-year-old's resurgence has prompted many Vikings fans to wonder if the team might be better off with him under center, and maybe that's true.

The Vikings had a chance to make that scenario a reality this offseason, as Jason La Canfora reported that Cousins preferred either Minnesota or a reunion with Klint Kubiak. The Vikings opted for Kyler Murray instead, and Cousins ended up with Kubiak in Vegas.

But would Cousins really have the offense moving and grooving in 2026 after a vacation down south? Well, things certainly couldn't be much worse, as the Vikings' passing offense ranks dead last in the NFL.

Murray and Carson Wentz have kept the ship afloat, but neither has done much to elevate the offense in the way Cousins' accuracy and talent on intermediate throws would. His age and recent propensity for turnovers (25 over the last two seasons) might give the Vikings hesitancy. Still, it's easy to see how things might look smoother out there.

Verdict: Not an overreaction

Kyler Murray isn't rusty, he's just not a fit

Murray's start with the Vikings has been objectively poor. After tossing a pick and then exiting after 11 snaps in Week 1, he followed it up last Sunday with another rough outing against Tampa Bay, with just 168 yards. Still, the game marked his first full contest since October of 2025, so it's reasonable to expect some rust.

Murray will improve with time almost surely, but how quickly that happens could make or break the Vikings' season. If Murray takes another 5 or 6 games to get his sea legs, the Vikings may already be fighting for their playoff lives.

Murray isn't the typical Kevin O'Connell quarterback, and he spent much of the summer splitting reps in an unfamiliar offense. It's not difficult to imagine a world where this doesn't work. Still, judgments can't be realistically made until at least after the bye, and for now, Murray has the benefit of the doubt.

Verdict: Overreaction

Brian Flores is as good as gone for a head coaching job in 2027

Flores will assuredly be at the top of the head coaching candidate list at the end of the season, but there are plenty of factors at play here. The first is his lawsuit against the NFL alleging discrimination, which is still ongoing. It's a wrinkle that makes fully predicting his future tough, as NFL owners around the league may look to avoid the messy situation.

Minnesota may also have some say in this and has already made Flores one of the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL. To retain him, they may slide over a blank check at the end of the year and tell him to name his price. Whatever he says will be worth it, and Flores could prioritize stability while getting paid like a head coach over taking over a team with question marks.

If an offer gets extended, though, it seems like a very plausible outcome at this point. It's very doubtful Flores will turn down another head coaching gig.

Verdict: Not an overreaction