09-19-2018, 04:32 PM
Kirk Cousins is who many coaches in the NFL thought he was, Washington's fans get wise, and Eric Dickerson's noble cause. All that and more in this week's 10-Point Stance.
1. Captain Kirk
To many who watched him over the years, Kirk Cousins was what he was—an OK player who had his moments, an average quarterback. Not terrible but nothing special.
Coaches who have watched Cousins from afar, however, have long felt differently. To them, Cousins was a physically gifted player in a poor organization that didn't know how to surround him with talent on either side of the ball.
In the right system, on the right team, many of those coaches thought Cousins could be a star.
Yes, an Aaron Rodgers-Tom Brady-Al Pacino-type star.
Kirk Cousins.
They may not have been wrong. Through the season's first two weeks, Cousins has a 108.7 passer rating, ranks fifth in passing yards, third in touchdown passes, has nine plays of at least 20 yards and has the Vikings 1-0-1 with the league's 10th-best scoring output. As one AFC East assistant coach told me this week: "You see what happens when you put him in a real organization with all-around good players. He could tear our league apart."
He could tear the league apart?
Are we talking about the same Kirk? Not this Kirk? Or this one?
We saw a glimpse of that star potential in the Vikings' 29-29 tie with the Packers on Sunday. Cousins stood toe-to-toe with Rodgers (an injured Rodgers, but still...) at Lambeau Field. He threw for 425 yards, four touchdowns, a two-point conversion and just one pick.
He also made one of the best touch passes you will ever see, throwing it between two Packers defenders, while he got blasted. It was the kind of throw that if Brady made it, we'd be crafting another version of Beowulf as an ode to him.
The Washington Redacteds never trusted Cousins. They essentially swapped him for Alex Smith, who's good but whose ceiling is limited.
It's early, sure, and maybe Cousins falls apart. But he has two things going for him he didn't have before: trust and talent.
On Sunday, the Vikings coaching staff allowed him to make plays he was never given the freedom to in six years with Washington.
And the plays he was making were with top receivers like Stefon Diggs and in front of perhaps the most talented defense in football. Dan Snyder could only dream of constructing a roster that potent.
With Cousins making smart throws, aggressive throws and impossible throws, the Vikings have a true star at QB.
Yes, Kirk Cousins.
That guy.
- Mike Freeman, Bleacher Report
1. Captain Kirk
To many who watched him over the years, Kirk Cousins was what he was—an OK player who had his moments, an average quarterback. Not terrible but nothing special.
Coaches who have watched Cousins from afar, however, have long felt differently. To them, Cousins was a physically gifted player in a poor organization that didn't know how to surround him with talent on either side of the ball.
Yes, an Aaron Rodgers-Tom Brady-Al Pacino-type star.
Kirk Cousins.
They may not have been wrong. Through the season's first two weeks, Cousins has a 108.7 passer rating, ranks fifth in passing yards, third in touchdown passes, has nine plays of at least 20 yards and has the Vikings 1-0-1 with the league's 10th-best scoring output. As one AFC East assistant coach told me this week: "You see what happens when you put him in a real organization with all-around good players. He could tear our league apart."
He could tear the league apart?
Are we talking about the same Kirk? Not this Kirk? Or this one?
We saw a glimpse of that star potential in the Vikings' 29-29 tie with the Packers on Sunday. Cousins stood toe-to-toe with Rodgers (an injured Rodgers, but still...) at Lambeau Field. He threw for 425 yards, four touchdowns, a two-point conversion and just one pick.
He also made one of the best touch passes you will ever see, throwing it between two Packers defenders, while he got blasted. It was the kind of throw that if Brady made it, we'd be crafting another version of Beowulf as an ode to him.
The Washington Redacteds never trusted Cousins. They essentially swapped him for Alex Smith, who's good but whose ceiling is limited.
It's early, sure, and maybe Cousins falls apart. But he has two things going for him he didn't have before: trust and talent.
And the plays he was making were with top receivers like Stefon Diggs and in front of perhaps the most talented defense in football. Dan Snyder could only dream of constructing a roster that potent.
With Cousins making smart throws, aggressive throws and impossible throws, the Vikings have a true star at QB.
Yes, Kirk Cousins.
That guy.
- Mike Freeman, Bleacher Report
B)