With Kirk Cousins out, Vikings' playoff hopes disintegrate

Published Jan. 2, 2022 11:44 p.m. ET

Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings’ offense didn’t show much sign of life without Kirk Cousins around.

By the end of the night, the Vikings’ playoff hopes were dead.

Two nights after their

This marks the first time since coach Mike Zimmer’s arrival in 2014 that the Vikings (7-9) have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

The Vikings had won their last two matchups in this series, representing the Packers’ only losses to NFC North opponents in Matt LaFleur’s three-year coaching tenure. But they couldn’t come close this time as Green Bay clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Minnesota had made a habit all season of playing close contests with 15 of its first 16 games being decided by eight points or fewer, the lone exception being a

But the Vikings couldn’t keep this one competitive.

Green Bay scored the game’s first 20 points and never looked back. The Vikings went three-and-out on five of their first seven possessions.

Cousins had thrown for 341 yards and three touchdowns in a

With Cousins on the COVID list and star receiver Adam Thielen on injured reserve, the Vikings’ other top playmakers couldn’t produce the way they had in prior matchups with the Packers.

Dalvin Cook ran for 163 yards, caught two passes for 63 yards and scored four touchdowns in the

Justin Jefferson caught 10 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns when the Vikings beat the Packers in Minnesota this season. Jefferson had five receptions for 58 yards in the rematch.

One of the Vikings' biggest plays of the night actually came from center Garrett Bradbury,

Mannion threw a pass to tight end Tyler Conklin, who took a big hit from safety Adrian Amos that knocked the ball loose. Bradbury alertly grabbed the ball in the air and ran upfield to get credited with a 21-yard reception.

On the next play,

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL