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Kirk Cousins’ Vikings debut suggests tough Week 2 matchup for Packers’ defense Just hours before Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers notched an unbelievable comeback win on Sunday night football against one of their most historic rivals Blake Martinez Jersey White , another major rival was celebrating a victory of their own. Led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, who appeared in his first regular-season game in purple and gold after inking a record-breaking 3-year $84M deal last March, the Minnesota Vikings edged past a beat-up San Francisco 49ers team 24-16. In the first game of the season, Cousins looked nearly flawless when he pushed his team to victory, going 20 of 36 for 244 yards and two touchdowns and running the ball four times for an additional 24 yards.Although the Vikings’ offensive line struggled by giving up three sacks, when Cousins did receive good pass protection he was able to hit his targets in tight coverage, giving him the ability to spread the ball around. For his two touchdown passes, Cousins hit a 22-yard dime to WR Stefon Diggs and an 11-yard pass to TE Kyle Rudolph in the back of the end zone. Cousins also targeted veteran WR Adam Thielen twelve times Tramon Williams Jersey White , connecting on six catches for 102 yards. Unlike his tenure in Washington, Cousins now has a slew of targets at his disposal in Minnesota. In addition to the Vikings having a top wide receiver cast, week one also saw the return of running back Dalvin Cook, who made his first appearance in a regular season game since suffering a torn ACL in October of last year. Cook, who carried the ball 16 times for 40 yards and averaged just 2.5 yards per carry, found more success in the air by catching six passes for 55 yards. With Cook healthy, Cousins has the ability to diversify his targets and take advantage of using a RB who has the ability to not only be a strong runner but also a pass catcher.The Vikings had the benefit of playing against an injured 49ers team a week ago. But even if the Packers’ gunslinger takes the field, Green Bay still needs to find a way to contain Cousins on the other side of the ball. Cousins has matched up with Green Bay twice in his career DeShone Kizer Jersey White , including his lone playoff appearance as a starter in the 2015 NFC Wild Card game. The Redskins fell 35-18 in that game despite Cousins passing for 329 yards and scoring two touchdowns - one rushing, one passing. The X-factor in that game was the Packers’ defense, who put constant pressure on Cousins and stacked up six sacks in total. His second appearance against Green Bay, in week 11 of the 2016 season, was met with a much different outcome. Cousins, who played one of the best games of his career to date, passed for 376 yards and three-touchdowns. However, one thing to note is that the Packers defense of the late 2016 season looks much different than the Packers defense of this season David Bakhtiari Jersey White , especially in the secondary.If the Packers hope to stop Cousins, they’re going to need to bring a lot of pressure. Cousins has clearly proven that he has the ability to make plays, but forcing him under pressure limits his timing and ability to find an open man. The Packers grabbed a victory in 2015 when they sacked Cousins six times and they defeated Chicago last week using the same strategy by containing Bears’ quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and sacking him four times.Cousins knows that playing the Packers at Lambeau Field is no small task and it’s one he’s certainly going to have to get used to as long as he’s with Minnesota. Beating the Packers on the road would certainly help to solidify Cousins’ reputation in Minnesota as an elite quarterback. This week’s signings aren’t about maximizing Aaron Rodgers’ window or making a statement. They’re about putting a championship-caliber team on the field in Green Bay right now." and Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesAlthough the free agency process has many significant differences from the draft — no finite picks, but more finite financial limitations — this approach seemed to serve Gutekunst and company well.Gutekunst recognized that the roster needed a jolt, however: “I think our roster at the time, this is something we needed to do to help our team.” Help the team they did, particularly in the area of pass rush. The Smiths both bring massive production as pass-rushers to the table, as well as experience in somewhat similar defensive schemes. That should ease the transition to Mike Pettine’s defense as the two players — both of whom will turn 27 in the fall — look to give the Packers a fearsome pass-rushing tandem.It was not specifically a plan to land multiple players at that position http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-aaron-jones-jersey , however. “We kind of had them stacked (on our board) like we did and we were really fortunate we were able to get both of them,” Gutekunst said. However, the ability of both Smiths to hold up against the run, provide pass rush on the edge, as well as slide inside with their hand on the ground on passing downs is a valuable trait, one that Gutekunst clearly valued: “I think in Mike’s defense, if you can have guys on either side that are interchangeable, guys that are versatile Bart Starr Jersey White , that makes it difficult (to defend).”back to winning Super Bowls by whatever means necessary.But is Gutekunst taking these big shots now because Aaron Rodgers is getting older? Don’t even bother posing that question. “This is Green Bay, Wisconsin,” he bristled when asked. “We’re in a win-now mode all the time. We needed to add to our defense significantly and that’s what we’re doing.”