In a loss as deflating as the Vikings’ defeat Sunday to the Chicago Bears, it can be tempting to find one scapegoat. We’re usually wrong — football games are complex choreographies that begin in the week leading up to the game, with contributions from head coaches, backup quarterbacks, offensive coordinators, quality control assistants, athletic trainers and the scout team. During the game, the plays on the field contribute to wins and losses in multiple ways, with different players responsible, sometimes behind the scenes, for the result. It behooves us to avoid blaming just one person, as much as we may want to, for any particular loss.



And once again Sunday, there was plenty of blame to go around, but it’s hard to escape the view that the bulk of it is on Kirk Cousins.



The defense



After giving up another opening-drive touchdown — the Vikings have allowed 12 since 2017, third-most in the league — the defense seemingly...