A sincere Thank You to Kirk Cousins

[comet52]

Usually when a guy has one of the worst games of his life he comes back strong the next week. It also helps if he gets to play the Vikings that week.

[Greylock]

Kirk was always about himself and his bank account. Glad somebody else was willing to pay him. Just don't think he is going to have a very good game next week. Coming off a bad game and going up against his former team, he is going to start to overthink things and come out and try to be perfect. He knows Penix is on the sidelines waiting for his chance and Kirk is going to be determined to make the Vikings regret not resigning him.

Think Van Ginkle will get a pick 6 and Greenard will have a sack party on the statue known as Kirk Cousins.

[MAD GAINZ]

It is a strange turn of events, isn't it? Though I will say that I'm convinced Cousins, in his 3rd season in KOC's offense, would be having as good a year as Darnold, minus the running and escapability.

But I couldn't be happier with how things have worked out. Got out from under that enormous contract, have our QBOTF who looked great in the preseason waiting in the wings, and we've made a former #3 overall pick actually play like one. There is currency in that.

I don't think Kirk would be playing well for us this season.  It's pretty clear his throwing mechanics are being affected by the Achilles.  Not sure if it's physical or mental, but he doesn't look the same as he did prior to the injury and I don't think it's from a new team, changing offenses, chemistry issues.  His throws will come out whacky when he can't just stand and deliver from the pocket.

I think our defense is going to feast on him.  The only teams he's played well against this season are teams with no pass rush.

[MaroonBells]

I don't think Kirk would be playing well for us this season.  It's pretty clear his throwing mechanics are being affected by the Achilles.  Not sure if it's physical or mental, but he doesn't look the same as he did prior to the injury and I don't think it's from a new team, changing offenses, chemistry issues.  His throws will come out whacky when he can't just stand and deliver from the pocket.

I think our defense is going to feast on him.  The only teams he's played well against this season are teams with no pass rush.

I haven't actually watched him play yet this year, so you may be right. I agree that our defense should do well against him. Sure, he'll know quite a bit about Flores's disguises, but no one knows Kirk's weaknesses and vulnerabilities more than KOC and Brian Flores.

[MAD GAINZ]

I haven't actually watched him play yet this year, so you may be right. I agree that our defense should do well against him. Sure, he'll know quite a bit about Flores's disguises, but no one knows Kirk's weaknesses and vulnerabilities more than KOC and Brian Flores.

I've only watched a handful of games (since I have Bijan Robinson on multiple FFB teams).  He's not the same guy.  There are times he looks like the old Kirk, but that's when there is no rush and he can get the ball out on time.  If he has to move, he gets in trouble. Derwin James came out and said the way they picked off Cousins 4 times was by disguising coverage and pressure.  They knew he couldn't move and got him uncomfortable.  Our defense can do the same, it's what Flores scheme is built on.

[medaille]

We should all be thankful for Kirk Cousins return to US Bank next week.  Let me count the ways.

Thank you for switching allegiences to the Falcons, within an hour of the start of Free Agency.  Totally above board.
Thank you for taking a massive pay increase ($180 million - 4 years, with a $50mm signing bonus and $90mm guaranteed)  and quickly exiting Minnesota, who made you a bona fide, price/value-appropriate offer, that you declined.
Thank you for forcing the Vikings to go a different direction in the QB room, which led us to selecting JJ McCarthy in the NFL draft.
Thank you for forcing us to find a rehab interim project in Sam Darnold.  We won't thank you for the opportunity to land Daniel Jones as an insurance policy...that one just landed in our lap.
Thank you for providing additional cap space which allowed Kwesi to bring in Greenard, Van Ginkle, Gilmore, A Jones and many of this vaunted FA class.  
And Thank you for showing all of us that Kwesi has turned out to actually be a pretty good GM, and demonstrating that sometimes the best personnel moves are the ones you don't do.

When you come onto the field next Sunday, I hope the crowd treats you with cheers and appreciation, because your actions directly and indirectly have led us to a 10-2 record (instead of the 6-6 record of your now-home Falcons).  

Karma is a wonderful thing, and everything has its price.
Thank you for putting us in a better position than we would have been had you stayed in Minnesota.

This isn't about Cousins.  Kwesi and KOC have been planning for a low cost QB on a rookie deal for multiple years.  Cousins wasn't in the long term plans and we offered him a below market deal, and he went to a team that committed to him for the long term and for more money which is normal.

This is good planning on our part, as we're getting similar performance out of our QB at a much more beneficial price point, but this isn't something to shit on Kirk for, he just wasn't in our plans and he moved on.