Washington Redskins: Kirk Cousins a Good Fit

In Washington D.C. there is a defiant divide among Redskins Nation about who should be the quarterback of this team. Washington Redskins fans are divided into the groups of: those who support the current starter, Kirk Cousins; those who support the previous starter and 2012 first-round draft pick, Robert Griffin III and yet another group of fans that feel this team just doesn’t have the starting quarterback on this roster.

For these fans, it’s very difficult to leave the passion and love for their team out of it when looking at different areas of the team and especially when it comes to the quarterback position. It is certainly understandable. This fan base has seen its share of controversy surrounding the one player that can define the success of a franchise.

For all of the turmoil surrounding the debate, it would be worthwhile to examine the reasons why Cousins is a good fit for the current offensive system and why he could actually be the right guy for the job now… and into the future.

Intelligence: One of the things that goes understated about Kirk Cousins is his football intelligence. He has a great ability to understand the coverages that defenses give him and to respond accordingly.

A good example of this can be found in last week’s game-winning touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his throw to tight end Jordan Reed. Cousins understood that the Bucs defense was in man coverage with the linebacker shaded a little to the right. He realized that this would require him to make a precision pass to a specific spot on the field so that the linebacker couldn’t pick it off but also not so high that the cornerback or safety would come into play. Cousins did just that which indicates that he has improved greatly in the elements such as pre-snap evaluation and blitz recognition.

A quarterback must make good decisions and take care of the football and that has been an area in which he has struggled. Cousins has thrown eight interceptions this year and fumbled the ball twice. That said, this fact leads to another aspect of his game that signifies that he is the man to lead this team.

Poise and Confidence: Regardless of the mistakes he may make or whether the offense has been effective or not, Cousins has a (New York Giants QB) Eli-Manning-like mentality… a mental toughness required when things aren’t going well. Despite difficulties on the field, he has shown an ability to endure without becoming rattled. When asked about his stoic attitude after the team’s historical comeback win over the Buccaneers, Cousin was, well… stoic.

“I try to stay like this, man <gesturing a flat line>,” he said. “You know, I don’t hit the panic button when things are going bad and I don’t feel like we’ve got it all figured out when we win. I mean it’s a step in the process in Week 7. [We’ve] got a long way to go and we’ve got to learn from the plays that didn’t go well just as much as we’ve got to enjoy the ones that did.”

Cousins has shown in three of the seven games the Redskins have played that he has the ability to overcome great adversity. With two minutes or less left in games at times, the Michigan State alum has showcased his ability to lead his team down the field for game-tying, winning scores. He understands that he has to move onto the next play and not play scared when a mistake is made. A quarterback that allows his emotions to get the best of him will not have great success in this league. Cousins, through his even-tempered demeanor, keeps the entire offense focused and unfazed when facing adversity.

Pocket presence and mobility: It is well-known that pocket presence is something that is vital for a quarterback to have. As a matter of fact, this separates the good from the great in this league. In the NFL, pockets are hardly ever clean so the quarterback must be able to slide or step up into them. This is something that Cousins does very well. He is able to shift and move within the pocket to give himself functional space in which to throw. He does a good job of keeping his eyes down the field even when the pocket is muddied. He doesn’t drop his eyes to look at the rush but is always working to read the coverage and his receivers to see if he can make a play to keep the offense moving.

Cousins has completed 84 of 268 pass attempts, gaining 1,737 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has a QB rating of 85.1 after seven games. There has been a lot of criticism thrown his way… some warranted but most not. This young man was given an opportunity to lead this team after sitting patiently, waiting for his turn. He has had a great attitude and shown respect for his teammates as well as the process that the organization has taken.

In all fairness, Cousins has played well given the circumstances. Well enough, in fact, to garner NFC Player of the Week honors for his performance against Tampa Bay.

With all of the injuries along the offensive line, with not having his full complement of receivers and; to top it all off, having no rushing attack most of the seven weeks of this season; Cousins has been effective. There’s another thing about him that goes understated and that is that he is not afraid to admit he’s made a mistake. When he does, it is said that he works extra hard in the film room and on the practice field to correct and improve his game.

Cousins has been asked to throw the ball 35+ times a game on several occasions this season. He has been asked win games with his arm and people seem to forget that, until this season, he had only started nine games in his career. This is not excuse, these are just the facts.

“Every team wants to see their quarterback be able to bring the team down the field [and] make consecutive throws when you need it,” Cousins said Monday during his weekly radio segment on 107.6 The Fan. “That’s a huge step in the process of developing as a player and as a passer. That’s what I’m going through right now; I’m in that development phase and I’m trying to continue to get better and learn and grow. These experiences are making a big difference for me and helping me gain confidence and experience… that is only going to serve me and the rest of the offense and the team well going forward.”

The key to success — not just for this QB but the future of this organization — can be summed up in one word: development.

One of the definitions of “development” is: ‘a specified state of growth or advancement’ and no one can advance or grow if they aren’t given the necessary time to do so. As Cousins has time to experience different situations — such as the one they faced last week being down 24-0 at home — a maturation will take place. Only time will be able to tell whether or not Kirk Cousins is the right guy to lead this team but he is off to a good start.