Smoot, I think you're looking in the wrong direction if you believe Cousins is the problem.
If you watched that game last weekend and came away thinking that Cousins didn't play well, I don't know what to say.
I do like the time you've spent on compiling the stats. That takes effort. I haven't read every page, but did you come across this stat?
Cousins is on pace to throw for 3,908 yards and 20 TDs. No Redskins QB has gone for 3,900 and 20 TDs since Brad Johnson in 1999.
It's not like he sucks...
Personally, I think Smoot and the rest of us have the right to feel however we want without being belittled with "I dont know what to say" and all the other ways.
Anyways...I'm done. I'm logging off again.
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Micks 113,
Thanks for the post... I guess what I'm trying to say is, the only tangible proof we have is the stats. "Eye-tests" are in the eye of the beholder... I offered my own eye-tests also, as you pointed out, but I think it all goes back to the stats supporting the eye-tests. There is nothing wrong with intangible proof, but it always has to be weighed against tangible proof.
***Lots of stats and things edited out to make the post shorter!**
Here are the options:
1) He's limited by Coach & Scheme
2) He's limited by opponents and how they are playing him based on perceived weaknesses
3) He's limited by his own decisions, taking fewer chances intentionally.
Above is the tangible evidence...
Thoughts?
You going to tell us our wives may have nice personalities but they're fat next Pete?
Of course if you extrapolate out you have to include everything. I think the point was that Cousins is producing some offense and moving the ball albeit not at a pace Skins fans are satisfied with. Ultimately it's all about points, not yardage anyway.
Oh - and just for shits and giggles - in 1999 Brad Johnson was sacked 29 times (!). Kirk? 3 so far this year. And Kirk has almost a 10% better completion %. Just sayin'.
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Micks 113,
Thanks for the post... I guess what I'm trying to say is, the only tangible proof we have is the stats. "Eye-tests" are in the eye of the beholder... I offered my own eye-tests also, as you pointed out, but I think it all goes back to the stats supporting the eye-tests. There is nothing wrong with intangible proof, but it always has to be weighed against tangible proof.
People like Cousins and will look for evidence that supports their theory that Cousins has improved. People will hate Cousins and look for evidence that supports their theory that he has regressed (or not improved). I came to the conclusion that he hasn't improved by first looking at the statistics. However, I confess that I have a negative opinion of Jay Gruden and thought he should've been fired after last season, and I became increasingly affirmed in this opinion after the hiring of Joe Barry and subsequent decisions (including the handling of RGIII & the QBs). Nothing has happened that has made me alter this opinion, and my opinion may color some of my comments (like when I see the same poor commitment to the running game for 4-5 weeks in a row). Maybe, I'm just looking for stats that support the theory he hasn't improved by pulling mostly negative statistics because I want to prove the Jay Gruden hasn't developed any of our QBs...
However, I want to say that the stats I'm pulling are pretty much the standard statistics that you would pull out when evaluating any QB. Looking at the 32 QBs who have 100 or more attempts (disqualifies Tony Romo), here is where Cousins ranks by stat:
Completion%: 9th
Att/G: 9th
Yards: 16th
YPA: 31st
YPG: 22nd
TD: 24th
INT: 27th
1st Downs: 7th
1st%: 15th
Long: 32nd
20+: 31st
40+: 31st
Sacks: 4th
QBR: 24th
Cousins played fewer games in 2014, but so have a few of the other QBs in the league (Big Ben, Mariota, etc)... However, let's see where he would've ranked using same stats from 2014 against the same QBs of 2015 (minus Cousins):
Completion%: 23rd (down in 2014) - He's throwing shorter passes, taking fewer chances. Not a big deal, if he has higher numbers in other places.
Att/G: 18th (down in 2014) - He's throwing more passes, probably due to our poor running game.
Yards: 24th (down in 2014) - This is an aggregate over 7 games, and most of the league has played 8... so this isn't a useful stat.
YPA: 5th (up in 2014) - His performance in YPA would be top 5 in the league.
YPG: 7th (up in 2014) - Again, YPG would be in top 10 in the league (this includes a game he was benched in 2nd half)
TD: 24th (same in 2014) - Fewer games in 2014, so technically this is down in 2015....
INT: 27th (same in 2014) - Fewer games in 2014, so technically this is up in 2015...
1st Downs: 27th (down in 2014) - This is an aggregate, so not important.
1st%: 9th (up in 2014) - Again, he's top 10 here if we're talking his 2014 performance.
Long: 2nd (up in 2014) - 1 big play doesn't really matter either year, but his long this year is like 43 yards.
20+: 13th (up in 2014) - This is an aggregate, but it's based on 7 games. Way better in 2014...
40+: 3rd (up in 2014) - This is an aggregate, but it's based on 7 games. Way better in 2014...
Sacks: 4th (up in 2014) - Fewer games in 2014, so technically this is up in 2015...
QB Rating (not ESPN): 20th (up in 2014) - QB Rating... Not really a big difference, but he was better in 2014l.
OK, Interceptions/Attempt are a bit better... Sacks are a bit better (but we have a better OL)... Completion percentage is better in 2015... Across the board, he is nowhere near his stats in 2014. Has he improved, or is he simply a neutered quarterback?
Here are the options:
1) He's limited by Coach & Scheme
2) He's limited by opponents and how they are playing him based on perceived weaknesses
3) He's limited by his own decisions, taking fewer chances intentionally.
Above is the tangible evidence...
Thoughts?
ESPN 980 @ESPNRadio980 · 4h4 hours ago
Mark Schlereth on Kirk Cousins: "I think he has great upside....I look at him as an efficient guy, has an Andy Dalton upside to him."
At Michigan State, Cousins played in an offense that featured NFL route combinations and progression reads. He operated effectively both under center and in the shotgun. At his best, Cousins was a timing and anticipation passer who was quick and decisive with his reads. He was a plant-and-throw quarterback, most effective when he could hit his back foot and deliver the ball on time, in rhythm. He was efficient in the play-action pass game, with the often overlooked ability to get his head around quickly after he turned his back to the defense. As a corollary, he executed well the boot-action game, showing accuracy on the move.
Extensive tape study also illustrated some significant concerns. Immediately evident was his inability to drive the ball at the intermediate and deeper levels. He was a touch passer without much snap to his throws. That must be accompanied by outstanding decision making and precise ball location. Cousins was not as consistent as he needs to be in both areas given his arm-strength limitations. He also needed functional space in the pocket to be efficient. He had a tendency to drift backward in response to pressure. Pocket movement is certainly an attribute he must work on in his transition to the NFL. His struggles in a “muddied” pocket, in the eye of the storm, must be cleaned up for him to become a quality starter.
For Cousins to be successful, he must be managed and manipulated by the schematics of the passing game and the play calling. At this point, and that’s the critical caveat, he’s primarily a pocket passer with neither great size nor the overall skills of a pocket passer. The specific concepts of the pass game and how he’s coached will be the determining factors in his development.
Ten Observations Of Washington's Offense
1. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has a bad tendency to drift back, and try to escape from the pocket out the back when he feels pressure or when his internal clock goes off. That’s a problem!
2. Cousins was not a precise ball location passer in this game. He will have to be to become a quality NFL starter since he has some throwing limitations due to arm strength.
3. Cousins does have deceptive movement skills to make plays outside of structure on occasion. Want proof? Look at the 20-yard completion to tight end Jordan Reed and the 15-yard pass to wide receiver Jamison Crowder in the second quarter as good examples.
4. Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara's first quarter interception was clearly the result of film study. Washington's staple through two weeks had been bang play-action off quick five-step drops with the inside slant throw. From 10 yards off coverage, Amukamara took a hard inside technique reading both Cousins and wide receiver Pierre Garcon. Amukamara read the route and jumped the throw before Cousins released the ball. It was a pre-determined throw by Cousins.
5. The 18-yard completion to wide receiver Andre Roberts on third-and-1 in the second quarter was an excellent route concept to attack boundary lock Cover 3 (or man outside and Cover 3 inside). Washington lined up in a 3x1 set. As the isolated receiver, Garcon immediately ran the underneath drag to remove the locked man-to-man corner. Roberts, the slot corner from the trips side, came on the crosser. The underneath defender to the single receiver side (linebacker Devon Kennard) does not recognize that route from the other side of the formation and the single-high safety cannot react until the ball is thrown. This was a well-designed route concept to break down the coverage.
6. Washington showed a 3x1 set out of 11 personnel with tight end Jordan Reed as the isolated receiver to the boundary. The Giants matched up with safety Landon Collins when they played man free. Cousins underthrew an open Reed on go route versus Collins from the Giants' 26-yard line in the second quarter. Reed easily beat Collins off the line of scrimmage for what should have been a touchdown.
7. One thing Reed has shown consistently through three games is he can beat linebackers in man coverage. He beat Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas for a 15-yard gain in the fourth quarter.
8. The Giants showed double coverage on Reed in the fourth quarter with Collins and linebacker Uani Unga. It was part of a man free concept behind a four-man rush. Cousins wanted to go to Reed but the double took it away and the inside pressure forced a hurried incompletion.
9. Left guard was a problem for Washington all game. Starter Shawn Lauvao suffered an ankle injury in the first half and was placed on Injured Reserve.
10. Washington's running backs overall did a good job in pass protection. Chris Thompson and rookie Matt Jones stood out. The Giants did get Thompson with a double A-gap blitz in the fourth quarter when he whiffed on a blitzing Casillas for an 11-yard sack.
lol...somebody call the waaambulance!
I suspect we'll see a big weekend out of Kirk against New Orleans. It should be a shootout. 300 yards plus, 3 TDs.
if you can only post something snarky and infantile instead of something constructive, intelligent and meaningful to the conversation, please don't post.
that's the plan. A coach cannot ignore the weakness in the opponents secondary. You must attack it and through the air.
Not to say our run game is abandoned. Just that it no longer is the preferred plan of attack, at least this week.....ok for the next three weeks.
You haven't joined any rooms.