The Vikings settled for a field goal at the end of the first half when quarterback Kirk Cousins failed to connect with wide receiver Adam Thielen on a third down in Chicago territory.
After the play, cameras caught Thielen and Cousins engaged in an animated conversation on the sideline that included Cousins appearing to show Thielen how he wanted him to run a route. After the season-ending 24-10 loss, both players downplayed any notion of difficulties between them.
Cousins said he “liked the passion back and forth” and wanted to have more conversations like the one that Thielen characterized in a positive light.
“It was a little frustration on myself for not getting open and a little frustration with not getting opportunities,” Thielen said, via the Pioneer Press. “It definitely wasn’t anything with Kirk. It actually turned out to be a good conversation. We talked a lot about what I could’ve done better and what we could’ve done in the second half to exploit their defense. That’s the great thing about this team. Nobody is taking anything personal. I had to run a better route there. It is what it is.”
There figure to be a lot of conversations around the Vikings in light of their failure to make the playoffs a year after losing in the NFC title game. It’s likely some will get even more heated than the one on the sideline this Sunday.