Over/Under Week 15 - Kirk Cousins

Will the Minnesota QB go over/under 279.5 passing yards vs. Chicago in week 15?

Video transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MATT HARMON: All right, time for our final over/under of the show, and it is on Kirk Cousins, as promised, going against the Chicago Bears. We're going to set the line here at 279 and 1/2 passing yards. And, look, I love Justin Jefferson. I love what I saw out of KJ Osborn as a vertical threat, but I am unfortunately going to go under here. I don't think they're going to need Kirk Cousins to do much to beat the Bears. And the Bears' run defense has been problematic, basically, when they've lost guys like Khalil Mack. You know, they're down a ton of players there. Akiem Hicks.

What's going on over there? There's a whole-- there's a lot of questions we could be asking about, like who's really playing for the Bears at this point, if you catch my drift? I do not think this team right now that's 18th in rush EPA allowed since week 10 can do much to hold back Dalvin Cook coming off a monster game. Now he's got a long rest. I think they just run the hell out of the ball and Kirk Cousins doesn't have to do much, so I'll go under here. But, Minty, how about you?

MINTY BETS: I agree with everything you just said, Matt. Chicago's allowing the most passing yards per attempt and some of the most passing touchdowns. Also, this is a divisional game. This is gonna be close. I see a lot of running the ball. And since starting for the Vikings in 2018, Kirk Cousins has only passed this total once against the Bears so I really like the under here as well.

MATT HARMON: Liz, if any week deserved a sweep of negativity, it's week 15. Can we get it here?

LIZ LOZA: You asked for it, and you got it. You also absolutely nailed the analysis that I was going to present when you started. I think this is game script. I think that Dalvin Cook is going to control the game. You mentioned he's coming off of that monster 222-yard effort, and he's had 10 days to rest coming off of it, no less.

Only stat I'd care to contribute is that Cousins averaged over 312 passing yards per effort in the games in which Cook was not available. But when Cook was on the field, Cousins' average dropped to 263 passing yards per game. We know how healthy Cook is, and we know that the Bears run defense-- although I think Hicks should be back this week, it's still far from 100%. So I, too, will take the under.