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QB Kirk Cousins, ATL (1 Viewer)

Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
 
How many backup QBs have been traded?

How many amounted to anything?

Honest questions.
Off the top of my head:

Successes

Brett Favre

Matt Hasselbeck

Moderately successful

Matt Shaub

Matt Cassell

Disasters

AJ Feeley

Jim Druckenmiller
I'd also add Kevin Kolb

How many backup QBs have been traded?

How many amounted to anything?

Honest questions.
Off the top of my head:

Successes

Brett Favre

Matt Hasselbeck

Moderately successful

Matt Shaub

Matt Cassell

Disasters

AJ Feeley

Jim Druckenmiller
I'd put 2 time Pro Bowler Schaub in the successful list.

Despite one good season from Cassel I think he was a disaster considering the money they paid him and the 34th overall pick they gave up.
I'd also add Kevin Kolb to the disaster list along with Rob Johnson.

I do have a question about Aaron Brooks and Mark Brunell...were they traded or FAs? I believe Brunell was made available in the expansion draft...not sure how Brooks was acquired by New Orleans from GB.

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
You coming to Vegas?

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
I tell you what, I'll do this right after my drafts are over and once I see you do the same. You are doing a lot of talking for someone so obscure. ;) Post 'em post 'em!

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
How about you do us all a favor and take this to PMs. You're the only one asking for his projections, so send him a PM. Then he can PM you his answer. Then you can meet up for fries and a burger.

Please drop this crap.

 
How many backup QBs have been traded?

How many amounted to anything?

Honest questions.
Off the top of my head:

Successes

Brett Favre

Matt Hasselbeck

Moderately successful

Matt Shaub

Matt Cassell

Disasters

AJ Feeley

Jim Druckenmiller
I'd also add Kevin Kolb

How many backup QBs have been traded?

How many amounted to anything?

Honest questions.
Off the top of my head:

Successes

Brett Favre

Matt Hasselbeck

Moderately successful

Matt Shaub

Matt Cassell

Disasters

AJ Feeley

Jim Druckenmiller
I'd put 2 time Pro Bowler Schaub in the successful list.

Despite one good season from Cassel I think he was a disaster considering the money they paid him and the 34th overall pick they gave up.
I'd also add Kevin Kolb to the disaster list along with Rob Johnson.

I do have a question about Aaron Brooks and Mark Brunell...were they traded or FAs? I believe Brunell was made available in the expansion draft...not sure how Brooks was acquired by New Orleans from GB.
2000 – Packers trade Aaron Brooks and TE Lamont Hall to Saints for 2001 third-round pick and LB K.D. Williams – Brooks was the Packers’ third-string quarterback as a fourth-round pick out of Virginia, but after a year Ron Wolf was able to deal him to New Orleans for a third-rounder. The move was worthwhile for the Saints, as Brooks became a starter his first year and ended up starting 82 games for the team. Meanwhile, the Pack once again took advantage of Favre’s durability and turned a backup quarterback into a better pick than the one it had spent on him. So this deal was another win-win.

1999 – Broncos trade Jeff Lewis to Panthers for 1999 third-round pick and 2000 fourth-round pick - The Panthers, looking for a franchise quarterback, dealt for Lewis, who was a former fourth-round draft pick who was backing up John Elway in Denver. But Lewis couldn’t beat out veteran Steve Beuerlein in Carolina. Lewis was a backup for two years, in part because of a severe knee injury, getting only nominal playing time after the Panthers were eliminated from the playoff chase in 2000. And after George Seifert cut Beuerlein following the 2000 season to clear the way for Lewis, he fell flat on his face and was released at the end of training camp. The Panthers, led by rookie Chris Weinke, fell to 1-15 in 2001. The Broncos, meanwhile, dealt Lewis at the top of his value, because they already knew that Brian Griese had surpassed Lewis on the depth chart. After Elway’s retirement in 1999, Griese surpassed Bubby Brister and became a four-year starter for Denver. Denver fared fine in this trade, but it was a disaster for the Panthers.

(The short-lived Lewis era was when I covered the Panthers. Two funny stories: First, Lewis referred to himself as No. 8, leading reporters to joke that he was the first athlete to talk about himself not in the third person but the fourth person. Secondly, when Lewis saw a group of out-of-shape reporters going to play basketball during training camp, he looked at them and said, “Don’t blow a knee,” pointing back to the basketball injury that had derailed his career. It was the only time we saw a sense of humor from Lewis.)

1995 – Packers trade Mark Brunell to Jaguars for 1995 third-round pick and 1995 fifth-round pick – Brunell, who had spent two years backing up Brett Favre in Green Bay, was Jacksonville’s choice as their franchise quarterback for their first season, despite the fact that he had thrown just 27 NFL passes. It was a great move for the Jags, who got a three-time Pro Bowler for a very reasonable price. The Packers, meanwhile, had figured out that starter Favre was not just a Pro Bowl player but also an iron man who wouldn’t miss any time. So Wolf turned Brunell, a former fifth-round pick, into third- and fifth-round picks. The deal ended up as a win-win for both sides.
 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
How about you do us all a favor and take this to PMs. You're the only one asking for his projections, so send him a PM. Then he can PM you his answer. Then you can meet up for fries and a burger.

Please drop this crap.
"Please drop this crap?"

You click on a thread started by pizzatyme where he claims Kirk Cousins should be the real #1 QB in Washington, then are surprised that people (and I'm not the only one) are questioning his ability to evaluate NFL players/situations based on this thread? You must not be able to read many threads in the Pool, because there's a lot more "crap" floating around than this.

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
I tell you what, I'll do this right after my drafts are over and once I see you do the same. You are doing a lot of talking for someone so obscure. ;) Post 'em post 'em!
Check many of the spotlight threads (from the last few years). I've posted my predictions in a number of those threads. As for obscure, what the hell are you talking about? I come to these message boards to find information, not to prop up my ego by the number of posts I have. Stop changing the point. You started a thread that suggests you are bad at evaluating NFL players. You claim to be great about it (look at me, I've won so much money), but you are afraid of providing any information that would confirm (or more likely, disprove) this.

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
I tell you what, I'll do this right after my drafts are over and once I see you do the same. You are doing a lot of talking for someone so obscure. ;) Post 'em post 'em!
Check many of the spotlight threads (from the last few years). I've posted my predictions in a number of those threads. As for obscure, what the hell are you talking about? I come to these message boards to find information, not to prop up my ego by the number of posts I have. Stop changing the point. You started a thread that suggests you are bad at evaluating NFL players. You claim to be great about it (look at me, I've won so much money), but you are afraid of providing any information that would confirm (or more likely, disprove) this.
So, you want to try to parlay my call on Kirk Cousins into "you are bad at evaluating NFL players"?

Hyperbole much?

 
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
How about you do us all a favor and take this to PMs. You're the only one asking for his projections, so send him a PM. Then he can PM you his answer. Then you can meet up for fries and a burger.

Please drop this crap.
"Please drop this crap?"

You click on a thread started by pizzatyme where he claims Kirk Cousins should be the real #1 QB in Washington, then are surprised that people (and I'm not the only one) are questioning his ability to evaluate NFL players/situations based on this thread? You must not be able to read many threads in the Pool, because there's a lot more "crap" floating around than this.
Better re-read the title of this thread. I said a CHANCE TO PROVE HE IS THE #1.

 
"Please drop this crap?"

You click on a thread started by pizzatyme where he claims Kirk Cousins should be the real #1 QB in Washington, then are surprised that people (and I'm not the only one) are questioning his ability to evaluate NFL players/situations based on this thread? You must not be able to read many threads in the Pool, because there's a lot more "crap" floating around than this.
I'm not interested in debates over pizzatyme's FF skills. If you don't trust his judgement, ignore him.

 
hey pizzatime man you seem pretty angry i hope that are ok i know the holidays are tough on a lot of us but if you need to talk to some one about it you should do that and remember that the shark pool is a bunch of great guys who would help you out if you need a shirt off of your back that is the truth so hey man i hope that you pick up and can be ok take that to the bank brohan

 
hey pizzatime man you seem pretty angry i hope that are ok i know the holidays are tough on a lot of us but if you need to talk to some one about it you should do that and remember that the shark pool is a bunch of great guys who would help you out if you need a shirt off of your back that is the truth so hey man i hope that you pick up and can be ok take that to the bank brohan
Thanks but I'm just fine.

 
pizzatyme said:
Bayhawks said:
Why would anyone put their projections out in

this board for free?

I'm happy to do top 10 lists, etc. and even those would contain misdirection.

I know you probably can't grasp the idea that knowledge is money, but you should try.
Right, because people are going to take your projections to the bank, brohans.
No, I'm taking my projections to the bank, pal.
Link to your website? :moneybag:
Reading comprehension is difficult for you.
Don't give use your full projections, or even a top 10 list. Pick 4 players from the key offensive positions (QB, RB, WR, TE), and give your expert analysis on them. They can be top guys, bottom guys, guys in the middle-I don't care. If you're so good at this hobby (as your boasts about the money you've allegedly won indicates) giving 4 projections for each position shouldn't be a problem. I doubt you do this, because I doubt you are as confident as you claim to be.
I tell you what, I'll do this right after my drafts are over and once I see you do the same. You are doing a lot of talking for someone so obscure. ;) Post 'em post 'em!
Check many of the spotlight threads (from the last few years). I've posted my predictions in a number of those threads. As for obscure, what the hell are you talking about? I come to these message boards to find information, not to prop up my ego by the number of posts I have. Stop changing the point. You started a thread that suggests you are bad at evaluating NFL players. You claim to be great about it (look at me, I've won so much money), but you are afraid of providing any information that would confirm (or more likely, disprove) this.
So, you want to try to parlay my call on Kirk Cousins into "you are bad at evaluating NFL players"?

Hyperbole much?
Because you seem to be afraid to share any other evaluations, it is all we have to go on.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
cstu said:
Bayhawks said:
"Please drop this crap?"

You click on a thread started by pizzatyme where he claims Kirk Cousins should be the real #1 QB in Washington, then are surprised that people (and I'm not the only one) are questioning his ability to evaluate NFL players/situations based on this thread? You must not be able to read many threads in the Pool, because there's a lot more "crap" floating around than this.
I'm not interested in debates over pizzatyme's FF skills. If you don't trust his judgement, ignore him.
ETA-Good point. No need to continue feeding the troll.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kirk Cousins, 25, didn’t exactly create a quarterback controversy in his three-week stint as a starter — his closing clunker against the New York Giants was painful to watch — but he has shown promise in two seasons and is definitely a keeper. Cousins’s trade value has plummeted — “He turns it over too much,” a former NFC East player-personnel executive told me recently
Jason Reid, Washington Post

 
Man, my buddy just sent me a bunch of links from the Washington Post. They are hammering RGIII over there. It's also a soap opera with Shanny's son said to be "distancing" himself from his dad, Snyder empowering his players, etc etc.

Jesus. If we are honest here, I'm not sure we can judge either RGIII or Cousins (or any player on the team) by this year.

At least RGIII has last year's performance under his belt. Cousins came into play this year during a train wreck.

Just want to add - I don't think Cousins is good. But I've been wrong before and he didn't really have a nice sitation to step into this year.

By the way, if you're bored - head over to the Post and search Griffen's name. It's like TMZ over there.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kirk Cousins, 25, didn’t exactly create a quarterback controversy in his three-week stint as a starter — his closing clunker against the New York Giants was painful to watch — but he has shown promise in two seasons and is definitely a keeper. Cousins’s trade value has plummeted — “He turns it over too much,” a former NFC East player-personnel executive told me recently
Jason Reid, Washington Post
That's some real in-depth analysis right there. Thanks for opening my eyes, Anonymous Exec.

 
i think curk cousins should stick to sandwhiches and open a franchise of cousins subs or just to be ironic maybe a quiznos which are basically the best thing going with being all hot and stuff and let real qbs play the game like drew brees and russel wilson take that to the bank brohans

 
i think curk cousins should stick to sandwhiches and open a franchise of cousins subs or just to be ironic maybe a quiznos which are basically the best thing going with being all hot and stuff and let real qbs play the game like drew brees and russel wilson take that to the bank brohans
Lmaooooooooooooooo it's in the bank already
 
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Cousins is moving the Redskins offense much better than RGIII did up to RGIII getting hurt in week 2. He seems to have provided a spark.

 
Cousins is moving the Redskins offense much better than RGIII did up to RGIII getting hurt in week 2. He seems to have provided a spark.
What? Griffin was killing the Jags as well. It's just a continuation.
Thank you! It's not like RG3 lead the Skins to back to back 3-and-outs and looked terrible. He was looking like his old self out there. The Jags have been outscored 75-10 in the last 6 quarters. They had allowed 55 straight points until the 2nd quarter yesterday. Their defense is not good at all. I think Colt McCoy could've had success yesterday.

I want to see Kirk play well against Philly, the Giants, Seattle, Dallas, Arizona. Those are the next few opponents, that if Griffin misses 4-6 weeks, Cousins will likely play against those teams. Save for the Giants, the other 4 could be playoff contenders. If he plays well against them, then sure stick with Cousins. But with the way Cousins has played so far in his career (58% passer and 1:1 TD:INT ratio), it's far from a given.

 
Cousins is moving the Redskins offense much better than RGIII did up to RGIII getting hurt in week 2. He seems to have provided a spark.
What? Griffin was killing the Jags as well. It's just a continuation.
Thank you! It's not like RG3 lead the Skins to back to back 3-and-outs and looked terrible. He was looking like his old self out there. The Jags have been outscored 75-10 in the last 6 quarters. They had allowed 55 straight points until the 2nd quarter yesterday. Their defense is not good at all. I think Colt McCoy could've had success yesterday.

I want to see Kirk play well against Philly, the Giants, Seattle, Dallas, Arizona. Those are the next few opponents, that if Griffin misses 4-6 weeks, Cousins will likely play against those teams. Save for the Giants, the other 4 could be playoff contenders. If he plays well against them, then sure stick with Cousins. But with the way Cousins has played so far in his career (58% passer and 1:1 TD:INT ratio), it's far from a given.
Yeah, Jags are just terrible. I don't think it's hyperbole to say that they have the worst defense in the league. WRs/TEs were left wide open all over the place yesterday.

 
Cousins is moving the Redskins offense much better than RGIII did up to RGIII getting hurt in week 2. He seems to have provided a spark.
What? Griffin was killing the Jags as well. It's just a continuation.
Thank you! It's not like RG3 lead the Skins to back to back 3-and-outs and looked terrible. He was looking like his old self out there. The Jags have been outscored 75-10 in the last 6 quarters. They had allowed 55 straight points until the 2nd quarter yesterday. Their defense is not good at all. I think Colt McCoy could've had success yesterday.

I want to see Kirk play well against Philly, the Giants, Seattle, Dallas, Arizona. Those are the next few opponents, that if Griffin misses 4-6 weeks, Cousins will likely play against those teams. Save for the Giants, the other 4 could be playoff contenders. If he plays well against them, then sure stick with Cousins. But with the way Cousins has played so far in his career (58% passer and 1:1 TD:INT ratio), it's far from a given.
Yeah, Jags are just terrible. I don't think it's hyperbole to say that they have the worst defense in the league. WRs/TEs were left wide open all over the place yesterday.
Yup. I don't think I've seen that many open WRs in my life as a Redskin fan. Let's see him do it against tougher opponents first.

 
Im sensing a Nick Foles like comparison to a year ago. Vick/RG3 (mobile QB's) get hurt the underdog QB/pocket passer comes in a new offense and blows the doors off the place. At least I hope that is what happens being an owner of Cousins in my start 2 QB league.

 
The Week in Overreactions: Let's pump the brakes on Kirk Cousins

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24711055/the-week-in-overreactions-lets-pump-the-brakes-on-kirk-cousins

Excerpt:

Kirk Cousins, RG3 and the Redskins QB situation

This is going to be a story until Robert Griffin III is gone from the Redskins' roster, either by his own choosing or because the team decides to move on without him. For now, he remains the franchise quarterback, if not in deeds then certainly by first-round pedigree. But the simmering pessimism about RG3'd long-term prospects came to a boil last season, from fans, media and, it seemed, Mike Shanahan, the man who drafted Griffin in 2012 only to bench him for the final three games of the 2013 season.

But Shanahan is out, replaced by Jay Gruden, the former Arena League quarterback and brother to Jon Gruden, Super Bowl-winning coach and Monday Night Football color commentator who can find something good to say about any player. But even the always-sunny Jon Gruden admitted this summer that Griffin would need time to learn his brother's offense.

“This is going to be a process," he said in July. "It's going to take a little time, but he clearly has the aptitude, intelligence and talent to be a great quarterback in this league no matter what offense you run. I'm going to temper everything -- it's the first day I've seen. But all signs are good.”

Signs were mixed in Week 1, when Griffin completed an impressive 78.4 percent of his throws against the Texans, but at times looked uncomfortable in the pocket and failed to score a touchdown in the 17-6 loss. Gruden's game plan came with training wheels to highlight RG3's strengths -- rollouts, play-action, misdirections -- to uncomplicate his reads and get the ball out of his hand quickly. But Griffin still took unnecessary hits, still held the ball too long when initial reads were covered, and still struggled with throws over 20 yards (he was 1-of-4 for 48 yards against the Texans).

But again, to echo Jon Gruden: This is a process. RG3 is 24, has tons of talent, and never saw a pro-style offense until he was ... well, a pro. Except Kirk Cousins looks perfectly comfortable in Jay Gruden's system, that point never clearer than Sunday when he replaced an injured Griffin and promptly proceeded carve up a decidedly mediocre Jaguars defense.

But that's the point: good quarterbacks should look sharp against bad opponents, and Cousins was exactly that. His first pass of the day went for a touchdown, and he completed 11 consecutive passes after that. When it was over, he was 22-of-33 for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and talk of the "Kirk Cousins Era" was in overdrive before the sun had set on the Redskins' first victory of the season.

But here's the thing: Are we all comfortable with the idea that Cousins is a better choice than RG3? There's the anecdotal "Every fan base loves the backup more than the starter" conversations but those are usually short-lived once said backup graduates to the top of the depth chart.

The reality is this: In 2012, Griffin's rookie season, he ranked seventh in value per play among all NFL quarterbacks, according to Football Outsiders' metrics. Even if we attribute some of that success to the Redskins' use of the read-option, the results are the same: After a slow start, Washington won seven straight, took the NFC East, went to the playoffs and RG3 had a lot to do with that.

Last season, Griffin came back from offseason knee surgery too soon, never looked like himself, and was eventually benched for Cousins, one of Shanahan's last defiant acts on his way out the door. So what did Cousins do? In five appearances (including three starts), he ranked 45th in total value per play among all quarterbacks, ahead of only Eli Manning, Geno Smith, Terrelle Pryor and Brandon Weeden.

In terms of conventional stats for those three starts, Cousins' 2013 numbers were just as troubling: 69-of-130 (53.1 completion percentage) for 747 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions, four sacks, two fumbles.

It's hard to draw many conclusions from Cousins' end-of-year performance -- the season was lost long before he was thrust into the lineup -- but in those three starts (all losses) his completion percentage dropped in each game (from 64.4 to 58.3 to 38.8), as did his yards per attempt (8.5, 5.5, 3.4) and passer rating (94.8, 71.2, 31.8).

Over the summer, ProFootballFocus.com compared the two quarterbacks and found that Griffin was among the league's best on short throws (5-10 yards) and on third downs, but struggled on intermediate throws (11-20 yards) and was near the bottom on deep balls (20-plus yards).

Cousins, meanwhile, was good on deep balls, struggled on short throws and when taking drops of nine yards or more (he threw four of his seven interceptions in this situation).

This doesn't mean that Cousins can't be a capable NFL starter, or, hell, that he isn't the long-term answer in Washington. It's just to point out that, like Griffin, he's young, mistake-prone, and still learning the position.

To sum up PFF's findings another way: Griffin and Cousins do different things well. Both players have plenty of room for growth, but Griffin's ceiling is probably higher. The problem, at least for Gruden, is that Griffin's floor looks to be a lot lower too. Or maybe that's not a problem at all for the first-year coach.

We've talked about this previously and mentioned it on the latest Eye on Football Podcast: When Gruden was the Bengals' offensive coordinator, he had a chance to draft Colin Kaepernick. Instead, Cincinnati went with Andy Dalton (Kaepernick went a pick later to San Francisco), who led the team to three straight playoff appearances and recently signed a six-year, $115 million contract extension. Cousins' game resembles Dalton's, while Griffin and Kaepernick have similar styles. Given Gruden's success with Dalton, it stands to reason that Cousins would be a better fit in his offense, and not only that, Gruden will be able to open things up, unlike what we saw in the Week 1 loss to the Texans.

This all seems perfectly logical but it's worth remembering that Dalton is surrounded by playmakers on offense and has the full support of an aggressive, sometimes dominating defense. On paper, the Redskins have the offensive playmakers but the defense remains a question. As does Cousins, who looked great against the Jaguars, but has had stretches of forgettable football. It's just that we don't talk much about those moments because, right or wrong, the focus is always on Griffin.

But now Cousins is the starter, and he could be for the rest of the season. Consequently, expectations will change. Is he a better option than RG3? Right now, in Gruden's offense? Almost certainly. The issue is how much better. Because if the Redskins go 7-9 this season, Griffin remains the favorite for the job in 2015. If the Redskins go 11-5, however, things will get interesting.
 
Im sensing a Nick Foles like comparison to a year ago. Vick/RG3 (mobile QB's) get hurt the underdog QB/pocket passer comes in a new offense and blows the doors off the place. At least I hope that is what happens being an owner of Cousins in my start 2 QB league.
Based on the start many QBs have gotten off to, I'm guessing there are a lot of people (myself included) hoping Cousins can be Foles-like in 1 QB leagues.
 
Rotoworld:

Kirk Cousins completed 30-of-48 passes for 427 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's Week 3 loss at Philadelphia.

Robert Griffin III may never get his job back. Cousins turned in one of the best performances by a quarterback all season, repeatedly throwing perfectly into tiny windows all over the field. He's clearly very comfortable in this Jay Gruden scheme that turned Andy Dalton into fantasy's No. 5 overall quarterback last season. Cousins has touch matchups coming up (vs. NYG, vs. SEA, at ARZ), but needs to be owned in all formats. If he holds off RG3 all year, note that the Redskins host this rancid Eagles pass defense in Week 16 -- also known as fantasy Super Bowl week.



Sep 21 - 4:36 PM
 
Where are the Griffin lovers now? I don't think he's ever had that great of a game passing.
I will not jump on the Cousins train until he makes those throws to win games. That was a pathetic throw, and you aren't anybody's franchise QB when you can't step up there, regardless of what happens with RG3.

He had a great game otherwise, but if you want to give coaches and fans a reason to give up on RG3's potential, you have to make a statement and win games when you're in the position to.

So far he hasn't. I'm rooting for him as long as he's the starter and I HOPE he continues to play well enough to cause a real QB controversy, because it will mean we're winning.

 

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