LAS VEGAS — For Kirk Cousins, it didn’t quite have the feeling of leading the Minnesota Vikings to an NFL-record 33-point comeback against the Indianapolis Colts to win the NFC North Division two months ago.
However, there was a reason Cousins was taking snaps for the third and final flag football matchup Sunday at the Pro Bowl Games.
NFC coach Eli Manning wanted Cousins in that spot to decide the overall winner, and the Vikings quarterback responded by throwing three touchdowns passes to rally his conference’s all-stars to a 35-33 victory over the AFC, ending a five-game losing streak for the NFC.
Cousins was 15-of-19 passing for 150 yards in the NFL’s reformatted all-star contest.
“It’s hard to wait around that long to play, but I appreciate Eli letting me be the third guy,” Cousins said, adding that it was “fun to go in there and be the closer.”