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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – New York media have spent a good part of the week tearing quarterback Kirk Cousins for his decision in March to choose the Vikings instead of the Jets.
What do cousins think?
"I have never read it, so I have no knowledge to be able to treat it or integrate it into my approach," he said. "I try to believe that ignorance is a happiness and I try to stay as ignorant as possible."
Sunday, Cousins showed he knew what he was doing. On a windy day, he eliminated the Jets by completing 25 of 40 passes for a total of 241 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-17 victory at MetLife Stadium.
The cousins found Adam Thielen nine times for 110 yards and one touchdown. This allowed Thielen to reach Charlie Hennigan's record with the NFL in 1961 with seven straight games and to open the season with 100 yards or more.
Thielen said that before the match, he did not care about the record. He still does not do it.
"There are a lot of things I could have done a lot better," said Thielen, who had a 34-yard touchdown pass in the opening game. "Again, statistics do not necessarily say how much you played."
The Vikings could have done much better in the first period. They did not take advantage of a few chances to score and led only 10-7 at intermission.
In the second half, however, the Vikings (4-2-1) won, surpassing the 27-10 Jets with the help of three interceptions of Sam Darnold. And with Chicago (3-3) losing 38-31 against New England, Minnesota took first place in NFC North.
"It was a good win for us to come here and win on the road," coach Mike Zimmer said. "I thought we had done a good job with the position on the ground. We did not really benefit as much as I would have liked, but I thought the position on the ground would be strong with some of the wind. "
The startup temperature was 46 degrees with a wind of 16 mph. In the first half, Vikings kicker Dan Bailey tried to score on a 42-yard shot that looked good until a gust of wind propelled it to the far left.
The cousins claimed that the wind was not an important factor even though he had had imprecise throws. He laughed, however, when asked if the weather made him happy to have chosen to sign with a team that plays indoors at the US stadium of the bank.
"I've noticed that playing inside is, I think, a positive effect in general," he said. "But I think the Jets do a lot of good things."
After six years with the Washington Redskins, Cousins turned down a $ 90 million, three-year bid by the Jets to sign a $ 84 million, three-year contract with Minnesota. The New York media was particularly hard on the Cousins, thinking he had used the Jets offer to get the Vikings to increase their offer, which the Cousins deny.
After losing their cousins, the Jets chose Darnold with No. 3 pick in the repechage. He started from the first match, Sunday being his worst performance as a professional.
Darnold completed 17 of his 42 passes for 206 yards and one touchdown. Even worse, he had been intercepted by Harrison Smith, Holton Hill and Trae Waynes. Smith dropped his third-quarter interception to 52 yards on the Jets' ninth goal, scoring a goal from Bailey for a 20-7 lead.
"It's just a lack of execution, obviously," said Darnold. "It's a good defense."
The Vikings, having been ranked No. 1 in the NFL last season in terms of score and total defense, had a difficult start to the season. But they won three games in a row and the defense started to look a lot like last year.
The Vikings only gave up 263 yards. That's despite the fact that they started the game without selections at the Pro Bowl, Everson Griffen (personal reasons) and Linval Joseph (knee, ankle, shoulder), and starting safety, Andrew Sendejo (groin). They then lost Pro Bowlers Anthony Barr (hamstring) and Xavier Rhodes (ankle) following injuries in the fourth quarter.
"We are smart fighters and football players, so yes, it's unfortunate when (such injuries) occur, but it's a next-up mentality," said linebacker Eric Kendricks.
In attack, the Vikings entered without half-ball Dalvin Cook (hamstring) and left tackle Riley Reiff (foot), before losing left-back Tom Compton, knee injury in the first quarter. Cook has missed four of the last five games, but Latavius Murray was once again a worthy substitute.
Murray had 69 yards and two touchdowns on 15 games. His 11-yard run saw the Vikings climb 17-7 in the third quarter and his 38-yard fourth quarter lead was 27-10.
After the Jets (3-4) reduced the deficit to 27-17, the Vikings scored 10 points in the last six minutes, highlighted by Cousins' second pass, on 34 yards to Aldrick Robinson.
"Every time you score 37 points on the road, you do something good," said Cousins.
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