I think Cousins is good enough to get the job done when he has to. The Rams game last year (a few others) he showed some moxy.
Thing is with a solid running game there's less opportunities for Diggs, AT, Rudy, etc. Time will tell which of them can (and can't) cope with the reduction in touches. Yeah, Cousins misses a few open receivers, and holds the ball, but something tells me some of the "gunslinger" mentality has been coached out of him. Just a difference in coaching philosophy from "Don't throw INT's" to "Just chuck it kid". Of course it's gonna make you not wanna pull the trigger.
It also takes team chemistry to win, and ego's need to be checked at the front door. He was the best FA available at the time, our recent QB drafting / FA / injury record is abysmal. Did anyone really think that we could win a championship in year one....two...or even year three of his contract? How many times has the "missing piece" for all 32 teams, actually led to a championship?
Some clubs have 35 YEARS of "Franchise" quarterbacks and can only muster 2 championships. Games like yesterday are important (even against a poor defense) those guys are pros / get paid too. On the road we are notoriously bad. A win on
the road to stop the bleeding is a GOOD thing.
We are exactly where I though we would be at this point of the season (3-2) We have 3 of the next 4 division games at home... we need to go on a run now.
Let's kick some asses
I think it probably boils down to route concepts, or a lack of. The simpler the concepts are the harder they fall apart in action - if you have a play designed to get the ball to one guy and one guy only, you have to execute.
The passes to Bisi Johnson, essentially easy read checkdowns, ended up being as or even more effective than our typically shitty one read and a cloud of dust attack. We need more of that. Open up the routes, give Kirk something to anticipate and let him make the best decision. Stop wasting downs trying to sneak one guy out into the flat for a 3 yard connection...
Quote: @StickyBun said:
I like the win and all, but....maybe it's just me but it's kind of wild they had to turn the offense into a play action rolloutfest for a vet QB. It was all done so he could see the field, remain calm and have time to find guys. Like you'd do for a rookie or a one dimensional backup playing. Cousins took so long to diagnose where he was going to throw it was really amazing to me. The Giants, not once, kept a DE back to stay home to stop these rollouts?? I don't know, it seemed almost surreal in a strange way.
It certainly worked. Over 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing. But Jones missed a few wide open guys and this game would have been so much closer. To your point, pumpf, Cousins had some emotion toward the game's end where he slammed his helmet down in a 'that's how you do it!' kind of way, so if it helped his confidence, great. I just don't know what this game means at all really.
I think part of the roll outs is actually the Kubiak offense. Denver did a lot of the same things when he was there. I noticed something yesterday on a play where Cousins was either sacked or threw the ball away. The replay was from behind Cousins and you could see Theilan get wide open across the middle and as soon a Kirk was about to release a defenders hand came up right in the window where the throw was to go. After seeing that I wonder if another part of all the roll outs is because of the pressure being applied up the middle. It would make sense for a defense to bring the pressure up the middle against a rookie center and a relatively new offensive line.
Kirk needs to play with a boot to his backside. Enough cuddling you wanted the big boy pay now play like it.
Quote: @JimmyinSD said:
@ StickyBun said:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1181193980849147904
it was the fricking giants... lets see them replicate the success against a better opponent in a month. winning against teams that will be picking in the top 15-20 of the draft is hardly an indicator of a successful season.
It was the fricking Bears on the road the week before. Sure, it was the Giants and we damn well should've beaten them. Still, half of the people in the pick-it thread picked the Giants, presumably overreacting to god-awful performance against the Bears. It's the NFL and it's all about match ups. How does a team we destroyed beat the Bears? Good question, but I bet it had something to do with having a full game of film on Chase Daniels.
Philly at home will be a real test. A good team. A team with a winning record. But we get them at home. But, again, who are the Eagles? The team that almost lost to the Redskins and then lost to the Falcons and Lions? Or the team that beat the Packers in Lambeau?
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ JimmyinSD said:
@ StickyBun said:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1181193980849147904
it was the fricking giants... lets see them replicate the success against a better opponent in a month. winning against teams that will be picking in the top 15-20 of the draft is hardly an indicator of a successful season.
It was the fricking Bears on the road the week before. Sure, it was the Giants and we damn well should've beaten them. Still, half of the people in the pick-it thread picked the Giants, presumably overreacting to god-awful performance against the Bears. It's the NFL and it's all about match ups. How does a team we destroyed beat the Bears? Good question, but I bet it had something to do with having a full game of film on Chase Daniels.
Philly at home will be a real test. A good team. A team with a winning record. But we get them at home. But, again, who are the Eagles? The team that almost lost to the Redskins and then lost to the Falcons and Lions? Or the team that beat the Packers in Lambeau?
A win next sunday wont mean much to me in terms of saying the team is looking up. even the following week against the Lions doesnt mean much (yet), the redskins... well they are who they are, the real tests come in November and December, so they better use these weaker opponents to sharpen up their weaknesses if they truly fancy themselves as a playoff contending team.
I was from and center complaining that the offense was antiquated. I did think that Cousins was afterward to chuck it, but I think there is something to be said about our gameplan vs the Bears.
This last week, they diversified the play calling, and we reaped the rewards.
Was it against the Giants? Yep! Don't take a single Sunday for granted. These are all big boys capable of producing a whipping any given Sunday.
We were pissed last year when Buffalo came to town, and we were asleep at the wheel (at home, no less) and got hammered 27-6.
Now that we woke up to beat the Giants- I'm not complaining. We acted as we should. Now let's keep it going!
Edit- Forgot the Buffalo game was in MN.
Quote: @mjollnir_k said:
Kirk needs to play with a boot to his backside. Enough cuddling you wanted the big boy pay now play like it.
I know that sounds all tough and all, but no, you don't want him playing scared. Not this guy. You want him playing with a chip on his shoulder. With swagger. He's like my son when he pitches. Sweet kid. Kind, thoughtful, tender-hearted. He has no natural swagger, so I told him he had to manufacture it when he pitches. When you pitch, you have to pretend your balls are as big as baseballs, your shirt is unbuttoned like Gardner Minshew and you have a badass mustache and NO ONE is going to hit your breaking ball. 100% difference.
Yes, I know there's a lot more to playing QB than just swagger, but like pitching, it is 90% between the ears and that is where Cousins problems are.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ mjollnir_k said:
Kirk needs to play with a boot to his backside. Enough cuddling you wanted the big boy pay now play like it.
I know that sounds all tough and all, but no, you don't want him playing scared. Not this guy. You want him playing with a chip on his shoulder. With swagger. He's like my son when he pitches. Sweet kid. Kind, thoughtful, tender-hearted. He has no natural swagger, so I told him he had to manufacture it when he pitches. When you pitch, you have to pretend your balls are as big as baseballs, your shirt is unbuttoned like Gardner Minshew and you have a badass mustache and NO ONE is going to hit your breaking ball. 100% difference.
Yes, I know there's a lot more to playing QB than just swagger, but like pitching, it is 90% between the ears and that is where Cousins problems are.
I like this ^
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ mjollnir_k said:
Kirk needs to play with a boot to his backside. Enough cuddling you wanted the big boy pay now play like it.
I know that sounds all tough and all, but no, you don't want him playing scared. Not this guy. You want him playing with a chip on his shoulder. With swagger. He's like my son when he pitches. Sweet kid. Kind, thoughtful, tender-hearted. He has no natural swagger, so I told him he had to manufacture it when he pitches. When you pitch, you have to pretend your balls are as big as baseballs, your shirt is unbuttoned like Gardner Minshew and you have a badass mustache and NO ONE is going to hit your breaking ball. 100% difference.
Yes, I know there's a lot more to playing QB than just swagger, but like pitching, it is 90% between the ears and that is where Cousins problems are.
I think you nailed it wrt Cousins.
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