Kirk Cousins Development Tracker

Honestly if this is the Kirk we're going to have going forwards and he's peaked..... I'm REALLY happy with that. :D

If he's still growing (and I believe he is!) then this is gonna be awesome!

He's already accurate, shows good calm pocket presence, goes through his reads well and distributes the ball superbly. He can hit long and deep.
I'm not sure we do better for a QB right now unless an Elite Talent hits the market which is unlikely.

The losses we've got are not on Kirk.

I agree with those that are saying that we need to do something about our Offensive play calling. I like McVay, but he needs to sharpen up some in the redzone.

While our run game is inconsistent and our play calling is suspect we'll struggle in the redzone. That's the way it is.
These things are fixable.

Our O-line is dealing with some injuries and suspension and could do with a piece or two. Kelley has only had 3 games as starting running back. Lets give him some time.
I think this Offense is gonna fly for years to come with the talent we've got.

It's our D that is losing games.

Only 5 teams in the league have put up more points than us. We average 25.5 pts per game and while it's undisputed that we've left points on the field, that should be enough to win us most games

On the flip side only 8 teams have ALLOWED more points than we have. That's the problem here.

Our Offense is being forced into shootouts because our D can only hold opponents sporadically.

As for Hopkins... It's not been a banner year for kickers. He was money last year so no reason to assume he can't be that man. He's young and has a good leg.
And the kicks he's missed have been under some pretty dire circumstances. That wind in Baltimore was horrendous, the turf in Wembley and the dazzling sun in Dallas. He has had a couple of games where he's been iced (this week by his own team!) where he made the first attempt that was nulled. He needs to sort that out somehow.

But I like our special teams. They're not the reason we're losing games. We should never be in a position where we are relying on his foot anyway.

Once we sort out the Defense this offseason and next (cause I think it's a 2 year build) we'll be fine. :D
 
You can make all the excuses you want Knight but Hopkins cost us a game missing a gimme kick that may well keep us out of the playoffs. He missed another gimme yesterday. I'm not going to criticize him for missing 50+ yarders but bottom line he isn't getting the job done of late.


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While the losses are definitely not ALL on Kirk, he shares a significant part of the blame. Since he's handled the ball on every red zone failure. Well, except for one very, "What in the mother****inhell are we doing in the wildcat", brain-dead, thoughtfart. I promise you there have been plays to be made that were missed, regularly. Red zone failure is our leading cause of loss this season. Certain field goals wouldn't be missed if TD's were scored.

Hopkins has certainly screwed the pooch a few times. But for now, he's still my kicker.

And, "Kirk, (In my best, tearful, Terrel Owens voice), he's my quarterback!"
 
What I don't get is that red zone production was pretty good last year, what's changed?

Aside from the fade to Doctson trials, maybe tighter D on Reed, fumbles, occasional poor blocking and play calling, perhaps too many targets, what else?

Don't think Kirk has gotten dumber and he looks to be more confident is he reading too much instead of just reacting? Facing better defenses?
 
Boone said:
Take a deep breath micks. Stats are facts. Stats don't always tell the whole story - but 'stats don't matter' is an indefensible position. Playcalling, and an inconsistent defense has limited our success this season. I don't even know why we are talking about Kirk Cousins? The guy had a slow start, but beyond that, he has been one of the best QBs in the league this season.

McVay has one of the most talented offensive rosters in the league to work with, but he doesn't always trust them (particularly in the red zone). The trick play he called yesterday is a reflection of that. Calling 3 straight passes when the Redskins are on the 5 yard line or better (which he has done numerous times this season) reflect a lack of trust in the physicality of your offense and his propensity to 'get cute' (and I suspect, show everyone how smart he is) is a flaw in McVay's game he needs to address within himself.

We need more playmakers on defense. Our pass rush is not where it needs to be. Our DBs give up way too many completions. Our run D is hot/cold but can't be relied on against the best backs out there. Our D is not 'terrible', but it's shown it can't stop teams when it really has to. That's about talent on the D, not about Joe Barry as a lot of fans want to argue imho. I hated the onside kick call last night. I knew it would cost us a chance to win the game, and it did. You make that call in the 2nd quarter if you want to be super aggressive. You call it in that position (whether it was McVay or Gruden) because you know you can't stop your opponent (I think that was a false belief, but regardless, I believe at that point in the game you have to 'dance with the date you brung').

And finally, I like Hopkins, but that's two games at a minimum that he has cost us with missed FGs. And he's missed two after either timeouts or penalties requiring rekicks. That speaks to mental weakness if you ask me, and that's something our kicker cannot have.
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OK I'm breathing Boone.

However I do take issue with your question "why are we talking about Kirk". His redzone play sucks. You and others want to call problem with play calls but you back that up with McVay's hands are tied because we have no power running game. Or at least that is what I read in your remarks. I don't like the fruitless back to back to back pass attempts inside the 10. But at the same time, the coaches must make the adjustment to increase the chance of scoring. I trust they see something that indicates passing is required. And not just a "dumb" play call. I felt like you and others early in the year and screamed about McVay/Gruden play calls. Last year they were genius, so I don't believe now they can't make the necessary adjustments. I think that what we are actually seeing is Kirk's limitations in the RZ and that his gaudy "stats" render his lack of clutch RZ play "not his fault". Imho yes its his fault. Imho, Kirk needs to rise to the occasion more so rather than the coach.

I know I'm a little hard on Kirk, I just want more clutch play and less stats.

On the other hand, Gruden in-game management outside of the redzone has become a bit of a problem. We take way too many predictable decisions at 4th and one, or third and one, or on side kicks. Those are signs of desperation, not astute playcalling. For better or worse, we have established an identity there, and other coaches know it. We seem to be getting out coached.
 
Well, you can use the paint brush to create a variety of interesting pictures.

I suppose there is one picture you can draw that shows #8 as being part of the 'problem' on a 6-4-1 team.

Then there is another brush you can use to paint a picture of a team without Kirk Cousins, a team whose chief strength, namely a productive passing game is taken away or reduced in efficiency with someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick or Alex Smith at the helm.

THAT team to me is one that reflects the record of the Bears at 2-8.

Let's face it. We don't do much else that well.

The Redskins don't stop the run. We also don't get off the field consistently enough on third downs. We still don't have that impact player in the front seven that LEADS the team and gets that critical stop when things aren't going well, especially against the elite teams.

Could we have acquired enough help in FA and the draft to shore up the front seven and be significantly better than we are? Evidently not according to Scot and the front office. In Rounds 1-4 of the draft there was always a BPA that didn't come from the front seven.

We drafted a wide receiver in Round 1 who has been hurt since mini-camp with an injury the doctors' can't explain, in terms of how severely it is affecting Doctson's performance months and months later.

So, in MY mind the Redskins without Kirk Cousins this year are in fact pretty close to the Bears.

Is that a great position to be in with an offseason contract negotiation looming for #8?

No. In fact I couldn't think of a worse position for the team to be in when facing the Cousins negotiating team.

Cousins may not yet be Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers in their primes, but like Drew Brees in New Orleans and Andrew Luck in Indy, the Redskins aren't really worth spit at this point without him.

And don't think for a minute that teams like the Cardinals, Jets, Vikings, Chiefs, etc. that would be very competitive with a top 10-12 passer would not pony up the money for Cousins if he were allowed to hit free agency.
 
Boone said:
You can make all the excuses you want Knight but Hopkins cost us a game missing a gimme kick that may well keep us out of the playoffs. He missed another gimme yesterday. I'm not going to criticize him for missing 50+ yarders but bottom line he isn't getting the job done of late.


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I'll admit he's not been as steady as last year. LOL He's in a funk and he needs to snap out of it.

But did he really cost us those games? There's reason and there's blame.

OK, he missed in Wembley for instance, he should have got that one. But should a team with this kind of firepower be in a position where we are relying on an overtime kick to win the game?
his missed FG in OT is the reason we lost the game, but I'm not blaming him for losing it.

I'm not worried about Hopkins, I'm confident he'll be ok in the long run and I think we've bigger fish to fry

Our struggles this year are all based on the defense, and it's from there that the domino's fall.

Only 9 teams have given up more points this year. And on that front we are BY FAR the worst in our division.

Even so I don't blame the DEfense either though, they are undertalented. They simply don't have the personnel or talent at key positions. That will come. I think we've done pretty well on that front with what we have to work with.

If I lay the blame anywhere I'm putting it with the Offensive execution in the redzone and with the play calling in those situations.

We're leaning on an offense to get involved in shootouts, which to be fair with the talent on that side of the ball it should be capable of doing. But truth is the offence is struggling to convert in the redzone, and then worse still it shoots itself in the foot with silly penalties and bad play calling.

And then when they fail, that is then when we call upon Hopkins to bail us out and provide us with at least a few points.

Which granted he's been sub par at this year... but the point is we should never be allowing it to get to a point where we are relying on him game in game out. While our D is rebuilding our Offense needs to take care of business and it's sputtering.

It's like excusing missing work by blaming my car for breaking down, when truth is I've been neglecting it's maintenance. One is a reason, the other is blame.
 
By the way...

I love this place where we can debate and talk about this stuff intelligently and passionately without getting all Grrrrrrrr! about it.

Love you guys! HTTR!!! :D
 
TomE said:
Aside from the fade to Doctson trials, maybe tighter D on Reed, fumbles, occasional poor blocking and play calling, perhaps too many targets, what else?
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Think you answered your own question TomE. ;) hehe
 
He's such a cheesy goober. Can't help smiling listening too him. He is headed to being one of the best. Still learning and growing. Gotta love it.
 
Kirk: You really are Gandalf, man. You're a wizard.

Rodgers: I'm not that old, man.

Awesome.


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Cousins is the man and only going to get better. He's still only halfway through his second year as the starter. He's in the top 5 range of every stat that matters. How quick some of you guys forget the years of Jason Campbell, Pat Ramsey, and Mark Brunell. Pay the man.

As far as the rest of the team goes, the Skins are a stud NT away from being serious contenders IMO, if they can keep most of the guys they have now. I honestly think Garcon and Jackson will want to stick around next year and won't get much money elsewhere anyways. I think these guys think this team is close to being able to make a superbowl run.
 
GSF said:
Cousins is the man and only going to get better. He's still only halfway through his second year as the starter. He's in the top 5 range of every stat that matters.
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Except for red zone scoring (TD's), which is not an individual statistic, where we rank 29th. But I agree, we need to sign him.
 
Near the top of the list of red zone failures is the two point conversion.

This team has run AWFUL plays to try and get those measly TWO yards...................

We try a zone read where Cousins almost gets his head taken off. We try a fade pass which admittedly is not Kirk's best or most accurate throw.

Other teams seem to convert on these a lot more regularly than we do.
 
Yep, he's earned a deal.

That being said, what kind of a deal do you structure for a 28 year old QB whose yet to win a playoff game? QB's can play a long time but those older guys with five-plus year contracts have playoff wins. He's certainly outplayed Osweiler (4yrs/$72M) and however it gets divided up Kirk will probably average about $20 million @ year. For how long? I suppose that's where most folks will differ but 4 years sounds reasonable. He could get tagged again for a fifth year or they could renegotiate. Might cost more on multiple shorter contracts but really not a lot more. Hey, he could get tagged again this year. Not out of the question. And they don't have a whole lot of tough, expensive contracts for their 2017 FAs.

Point is, yeah I'd pay him but not for anything more than five years at most and preferably four. NFL is very much a, 'what have you done lately?' business.

The Redskins are still building a team around their concept with his skill set. If they want to throw for 5,ooo yards a year they also need to win doing that. Maybe they'll find out after fixing a few other things they really don't need to air it out so much. Maybe it turns out a $20+ million @ year QB is a luxury they don't need. Maybe it turns out he is exactly what they need but too soon for a wedding.

Who was the last Redskin QB to win a playoff game? Mark Brunell (35) in 2005. Signed him a year earlier (34) for 7 years and $43 million. Signed a QB into his 40's that never played in a Super Bowl. Gone after 2006.

Who was the last Redskin QB to win more than 1 playoff game? Mark Rypien 1991 (SB) thru 1992 (WC). Super Bowl one year at 29, a Wild Card win with a Division Playoff loss at 30 then...
Well then he pretty much disappeared by 31 as did the Redskins who sunk to 4-12 after being the best team in football 2 years earlier. But he started out very much like Cousins has. Through Marks first 30 starts; 19/11 with playoffs in his second full year as a starter (and he did manage to get wins there). Last 27 starts for Kirk; 15/11/1 and no playoff wins.

Who was the last QB that the Redskins let go of that went on to really make anyone regret it? I don't know that has really ever happened.
 
I'd suggest Brad Johnson. He was competent. Not incredible, but he made good decisions and he could sling it.
 
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