The Kirk Cousins Curse is terrible news for the Packers and 49ers.
Kirk Cousins has never lost to a team that has participated in the Super Bowl in the same year.
The NFC will be represented in this year’s Super Bowl by the winner of this weekend’s playoff game between the Lions and the Bucs.
That is, assuming that the Kirk Cousins Curse is accurate.
It seems to be something that has been making the rounds on the internet in the last few days.
The fact that no team has ever lost to Kirk Cousins and gone on to play in the Super Bowl in the same year is the foundation of the curse.
Let’s get started and check if it adds up.
2012-13 Super Bowl: Baltimore-San Francisco
In Week 14, Cousins started his first game as a professional and helped the Washington Redskins defeat the Cleveland Browns.
As of right now, the Cousins Curse is still in effect because the Browns failed to make it to the Super Bowl.
2013-14 Super Bowl: Seattle-Denver
Washington lost all three games in which Cousins started in 2013, albeit none of them against Super Bowl hopefuls Seattle and Denver.
It is now a two-for-two curse.
2014-15 Super Bowl: New England-Seattle
In Week 7, Cousins beat Tennessee after losing four of his five starts.
The Titans were unable to qualify for the Super Bowl.
Now that you’re tracking, the curse stands at three for three.
2015-16 Super Bowl: Denver-Carolina
Cousins started all 16 games this season, his first as a full-time starter, and guided Washington to nine victories.
The following teams have fallen victim to him: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles (twice), Tampa Bay Bucs, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, and New Orleans Saints.
Four for four is the curse.
2016-17 Super Bowl: New England-Atlanta
Against the Giants, Browns, Ravens, Eagles (twice), Vikings, Packers, and Bears, Cousins and Washington won eight games.
The curse is five for five since none of them made it to the Super Bowl.
2017-18 Super Bowl: Philadelphia-New England
Cousins has seven victories in 16 starts, including victories over the Rams, Raiders, 49ers, Seahawks, Giants, Cardinals, and Broncos.
Make the curse a perfect 6 for 6.
2018-19 Super Bowl: New England-Los Angeles
With Cousins leading the way, the Vikings finished the season with eight victories against the 49ers, Eagles, Cardinals, Jets, Lions (twice), Packers, and Dolphins.
The Rams and Patriots aren’t on the list, so the curse is seven for seven.
2019-20 Super Bowl: Kansas City-San Francisco
Minnesota defeated the Falcons, Raiders, Giants, Eagles, Lions (twice), Commanders, Cowboys, Broncos, and Chargers ten times under the direction of their cousins. Eight to the eight.
2020-21 Super Bowl: Tampa Bay-Kansas City
Of Cousins’ 16 starts, these Vikings only prevailed seven times: against the Texans, Packers, Lions (twice), Bears, Panthers, and Jaguars. Nine to Nine.
2021-22 Super Bowl: Los Angeles-Cincinnati
Behind Cousins, the Vikings finished 8β8 in 2021, winning twice against the Bears and once each against the Seahawks, Lions, Panthers, Chargers, Packers, and Steelers. Ten out of ten.
2022-23 Super Bowl: Kansas City-Philadelphia
Because of the curse, the Vikings and their cousins were essentially thrown out of the Super Bowl race after they exploded for 13 victories over 12 different teams.
The Packers, Lions, Saints, Bears (twice), Dolphins, Cardinals, Commanders, Bills, Patriots, Jets, Colts, and Giants were the teams defeated. Eleven to One.
The calculations are correct.
Throughout his career, Cousins has lost all ten of his games against one or both of the teams that went on to participate in the Super Bowl of that season.
What does that signify, then, for the eight remaining clubs in the playoffs this year?
The only remaining teams that Cousins has defeated this season are Green Bay and San Francisco.
Prior to Cousins’ season-ending injury, Detroit did not play the Vikings; instead, the Chiefs defeated the Vikings in Week 5 and the Buccaneers defeated Minnesota in Week 1.
This season, Buffalo, Houston, and Baltimore did not play the Vikings.
Put another way, either Baker Mayfield is about to lead the Bucs to an unlikely postseason run, or the Lions will represent the NFC for the first time since the Super Bowl era began. It’s the AFC that’s in play.
Apologies, Green Bay and San Francisco. That’s just how the Kirk Cousins Curse works.
