PFT: Washington’s plan for Kirk Cousins is simple: Keep him and look for someone else

[Goaldeje]

And I am suggesting I do not think Kirk will be one of those guys. I think he'll be as much as we'll need for the next 5-7 years maybe more because I see the teams McGloughan has either helped assemble or assembled himself, Seattle and San Fran. Neither of those teams have had success with an elite QB. And no...I do not think Russell Wilson is elite.

Flacco and Eli sound about right to me. If Kirk can max out, I think that's what we get - which is pretty damned good. I agree with El, that watching Kirk vs Rodgers last year in the playoffs was laughable. I love Kirk and hope he can get to that level one day, but am not expecting it. I think top ten in the league is very reasonable.

 

[Om]

To me the single biggest reason we head into 2016 with a sense of expectations that while we're still not "there," we're on the right path, is this:



No, Kirk did not raise his game in the playoffs, and that's something that will remain a nagging doubt until he has a chance to prove otherwise. Personally, I think the entire team got schooled against GB and/or had a case of the jitters. We started fast, but as the game wore on we got outcoached and outplayed on both sides of the ball.

But what happened over the second half of the regular season is THE reason the 2016 Redskins are seen as a team with a legit shot of heading into December vying for a playoff spot. The quarterback played at an elite level. Arguably, over the last eight games, he was the best quarterback in football. Do I expect him to play at that level from here on out? No, not really. That would make him a Hall of Famer with historic numbers ... just not something it's reasonable or fair to expect of anyone. But the numbers, and our eyes, did not lie down the stretch last year. Kirk was elite by any reasonable objective measure.

His cumulative numbers over that stretch?

173 for 235 (73.6%), 2212 yds., 19 TD, 2 INT, QB rating 126.1

Oh, and 6-2.

I'd be curious how many QB's in the past 25 years have had an 8-game stretch like that. Now whether that was simply an extended flash in the pan, and the Green Bay game was him crashing back to Earth ... or that stretch was an indicator of things to come ... we will start to learn on Monday Night against the Steelers. Ultimately, it will also be the largest determining factor in plotting the trajectory of the franchise over the next couple of years.

 

[Henry]

Not to be a bucket of cold water, but Nick Foles in 2013?

I think Cousins, if he keeps playing like he did, could be a guy who wins championships with the right team around him.

There are QBs out there, elite QBs, that you see and immediately just know. Aaron Rodgers ... even during his first year as a starter when his team went 6-10 and he had no OL ... you knew. I don't see THAT from Cousins. I see, as others have mentioned, a Joe Flacco.

That's not a knock on Cousins. I'd be THRILLED with that. I'm hoping for that.

... let's go with that.

 

[Boone]

What Henry said...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Om]

People keep using Aaron Rodgers as the default setting for an "elite" QB. Not sure it's really fair to say Kirk will never be Aaron Rodgers. No one's saying he will be. Rodgers is a scrambler ... a guy who makes a whole lot of his bones on the run and off schedule. There have been very few who had that particular skillset at the elite level. Elway in his younger days ... and who?

Romo? Kidding.

Elite QB's like Brady and Manning have always been statues. Marino couldn't move. Big Ben slides around, true, but as often as not just lets guys bounce off him because he's a freaking monster. Montana slid around, but basically made his hay in the pocket. Brees is like that. All elite QB's, just none of them "like Rodgers."

All I was saying above is that in the second half of last year, Kirk was elite by any reasonable measure. Not Rodgers elite, no ... but elite. There are no guarantees he won't be Foles in a year or two, no. But there are no guarantee he won't be Brees, either.

Just for fun, here are Rodgers last 8 games last year. Because he's, you know, the definition of elite.

 

[Goaldeje]

I'll submit his first 8 games (with one exception) were pretty damned amazing though.

 

[Om]

I'll submit his first 8 games (with one exception) were pretty damned amazing though.

They were indeed. Almost as good as Kirk Cousins' last eight.

 

[Ax]

The difference is, Kirk has never been good, much less, elite, against the better teams.

Rodgers has.

Hopefully, Kirk will, moving forward.

 

[MattFancy]

Last year was seen as a "down" year for Rodgers. I'd love for our QB to have a "down" year and still throw for 3,800+yds, 31 TDs, 8 INTs. All without his #1 WR and a mess at RB.

 

[Om]

The difference is, Kirk has never been good, much less, elite, against the better teams.

Rodgers has.

Hopefully, Kirk will, moving forward.

Yep. For Kirk it's now about proving the elite play down the stretch last year was portent, not pyrite.

 

[Ax]

Yes. Very im-por-tant?

 

[Bulldog]

There are two reasons Kirk Cousins did not beat elite teams:

1. In the last 8 plus games of the regular season there weren't any elite teams on the schedule

2. When the playoffs started Cousins 329 yards, 63% completion percentage and 1 TD/ zero interceptions weren't enough because the Redskins defense was atrocious. Aaron Rodgers' second half against the Redskins defense looked like a training camp passing drill.

Last year, we were playing a rookie corner who started the year at wide receiver, two linebackers that were street free agents, and a 32 year old safety that played corner his first 10 NFL seasons.

That's not the formula for immediate postseason success.

Did Cousins look great? No.

But Carson Palmer looked dreadful against the Panthers and Cam Newton looked awful against the Broncos in the playoffs.

There were playoff performances worse than Cousins this past postseason.

 

[Elephant]

There are two reasons Kirk Cousins did not beat elite teams:

1. In the last 8 plus games of the regular season there weren't any elite teams on the schedule

2. When the playoffs started Cousins 329 yards, 63% completion percentage and 1 TD/ zero interceptions weren't enough because the Redskins defense was atrocious. Aaron Rodgers' second half against the Redskins defense looked like a training camp passing drill.

Last year, we were playing a rookie corner who started the year at wide receiver, two linebackers that were street free agents, and a 32 year old safety that played corner his first 10 NFL seasons.

That's not the formula for immediate postseason success.

Did Cousins look great? No.

But Carson Palmer looked dreadful against the Panthers and Cam Newton looked awful against the Broncos in the playoffs.

There were playoff performances worse than Cousins this past postseason.

I would not name Carson Palmer or Cam Newton elite, either. Cam could be on his way, but Palmer is about the type of QB I think Kirk can be...a small handful of Pro-Bowls, a Division crown or two, but that's about it...unless McGloughan can put together a well-rounded team around him. I think Kirk can win a Super Bowl, but only if all the right elements are there. Without Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers Green Bay does not win Super Bowls, without Tom Brady New England does not win Super Bowls.