Cousins missed opportunities in San Francisco

I can see why Diggs would want out of here. He runs perfect routes and is open a lot and Cousins just doesn't get the ball to him. It would frustrate me too. I bet it frustrates Adam too, but it hinders things when they are really good friends. 

I just wrote about this in a different thread I believe this is Cousins biggest weakness and explains why he has good stats but a lack of overall success. And since he checks down when not under pressure, when a receiver is open down the field, I question whether a better O-line will help much.

@"MaroonBells" said: Missed opportunities both because of pressure and because he just didn't let it fly when he had to....

https://twitter.com/NickOlsonNFL/status/1217506910947151872?s=20
https://twitter.com/SageRosenfels18/status/1216784488140853250?s=20
https://twitter.com/SageRosenfels18/status/1216786855666094086?s=20
https://twitter.com/SageRosenfels18/status/1216791943629373441?s=20
https://twitter.com/SageRosenfels18/status/1216795364185051137?s=20

First one, cousins was sacked so it doesn't matter how open Diggs was.
On the square out, look at his mechanics, brings his right leg up.  He felt the pressure all day and wasn't on.  Which really sucks.
Saw another article yesterday about how good the SF LBs were in coverage.  There was a reason our offense struggled.  They got worked by the Rams a few weeks before and knew they had to deal with the play action.  Selah had a good scheme to counter our strength.  That was my biggest complaint of Stef, when the scheme wasn't working, he had nothing else to offer.  I think much of the struggles were on Stef not having the answers to teams taking away the run.  He couldn't find a way (although tempo/2 minute drill often worked) to get cousins on track.

@"greediron" said:

First one, cousins was sacked so it doesn't matter how open Diggs was. On the square out, look at his mechanics, brings his right leg up.  He felt the pressure all day and wasn't on.  Which really sucks. Saw another article yesterday about how good the SF LBs were in coverage.  There was a reason our offense struggled.  They got worked by the Rams a few weeks before and knew they had to deal with the play action.  Selah had a good scheme to counter our strength.  That was my biggest complaint of Stef, when the scheme wasn't working, he had nothing else to offer.  I think much of the struggles were on Stef not having the answers to teams taking away the run.  He couldn't find a way (although tempo/2 minute drill often worked) to get cousins on track.

In defense of Stefanski...  what else was he supposed to do?  The running game wasn't working...  we tried to screen SF and got minimal yardage on those...  then we tried to back them off the LOS with some deeper route concepts and had a QB that flat out missed the throws or wouldn't make the throws when they were there.  We were waiting for a spark on offense and outside of the one long TD to Diggs early in the game, we didn't get anymore.  The opportunities were there, we just had a QB that refused to throw them as the game went along...

@"Wetlander" said:

@"greediron" said:

First one, cousins was sacked so it doesn't matter how open Diggs was. On the square out, look at his mechanics, brings his right leg up.  He felt the pressure all day and wasn't on.  Which really sucks. Saw another article yesterday about how good the SF LBs were in coverage.  There was a reason our offense struggled.  They got worked by the Rams a few weeks before and knew they had to deal with the play action.  Selah had a good scheme to counter our strength.  That was my biggest complaint of Stef, when the scheme wasn't working, he had nothing else to offer.  I think much of the struggles were on Stef not having the answers to teams taking away the run.  He couldn't find a way (although tempo/2 minute drill often worked) to get cousins on track.

In defense of Stefanski...  what else was he supposed to do?  The running game wasn't working...  we tried to screen SF and got minimal yardage on those...  then we tried to back them off the LOS with some deeper route concepts and had a QB that flat out missed the throws or wouldn't make the throws when they were there.  We were waiting for a spark on offense and outside of the one long TD to Diggs early in the game, we didn't get anymore.  The opportunities were there, we just had a QB that refused to throw them as the game went along...

@"jargomcfargo" said: I just wrote about this in a different thread I believe this is Cousins biggest weakness and explains why he has good stats but a lack of overall success. And since he checks down when not under pressure, when a receiver is open down the field, I question whether a better O-line will help much.

It will. Because what causes QBs to check down when not under pressure is the pressure on the other plays. It makes QBs see ghosts when there's nothing there. Cousins certainly isn't alone in that. But do we have a right to expect better, given what he's paid? Probably so. 

During the game I was talking with some fellow Vikes fans and we all said, "Can't wait to see all the Twitter videos of all the throws Cousins didn't make today". It just felt like one of those games.

It's easy to nitpick Kirk and I do think he's solid but man. 7 first downs hurts.
Maybe upgrading our OL from a 6 to an 8 (out of 10) fixes all of our problems, but I'm dubious.

@"pattersaur" said:

During the game I was talking with some fellow Vikes fans and we all said, "Can't wait to see all the Twitter videos of all the throws Cousins didn't make today". It just felt like one of those games.

It's easy to nitpick Kirk and I do think he's solid but man. 7 first downs hurts.
Maybe upgrading our OL from a 6 to an 8 (out of 10) fixes all of our problems, but I'm dubious.

I am too, but there isn't (imo) a clear cut alternative that would make the Vikings choose another QB for 2020. For many reasons, including CAP.

I still believe he's our best signal caller since Favre, warts and all.  But is that enough? May not be. 

@"greediron" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Missed opportunities both because of pressure and because he just didn't let it fly when he had to....

First one, cousins was sacked so it doesn't matter how open Diggs was.

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"jargomcfargo" said: I just wrote about this in a different thread I believe this is Cousins biggest weakness and explains why he has good stats but a lack of overall success. And since he checks down when not under pressure, when a receiver is open down the field, I question whether a better O-line will help much.

It will. Because what causes QBs to check down when not under pressure is the pressure on the other plays. It makes QBs see ghosts when there's nothing there. Cousins certainly isn't alone in that. But do we have a right to expect better, given what he's paid? Probably so. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Missed opportunities both because of pressure and because he just didn't let it fly when he had to....

First one, cousins was sacked so it doesn't matter how open Diggs was.

It does matter. There are people who think we should trade Diggs because of his "lack of production" in the two playoff games. Now, I don't care if you blame Cousins for that play or the line--you can't blame Diggs. That's a helluva route, and a TD with another second of time...assuming the QB throws it. Look, I have no agenda here, no narrative I'm trying to support. I'm not even certain we shouldn't extend Cousins. But we shouldn't be afraid of the truth. 

I agree that much of the problem in SF was due to Stefanski not having a response to what the 49ers were doing. They did exactly what Green Bay did. It's frustrating that we didn't know that's what they would do. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"greediron" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Missed opportunities both because of pressure and because he just didn't let it fly when he had to....

First one, cousins was sacked so it doesn't matter how open Diggs was.

It does matter. There are people who think we should trade Diggs because of his "lack of production" in the two playoff games. Now, I don't care if you blame Cousins for that play or the line--you can't blame Diggs. That's a helluva route, and a TD with another second of time...assuming the QB throws it. Look, I have no agenda here, no narrative I'm trying to support. I'm not even certain we shouldn't extend Cousins. But we shouldn't be afraid of the truth. 

I agree that much of the problem in SF was due to Stefanski not having a response to what the 49ers were doing. They did exactly what Green Bay did. It's frustrating that we didn't know that's what they would do. 

Some of the problem really must lay at the feet of the QB coach as he is the person sitting with Cousins during the game and showing him things Cousins is missing.  And that QB coach may soon be OC.  

@"VikingOracle" said: Some of the problem really must lay at the feet of the QB coach as he is the person sitting with Cousins during the game and showing him things Cousins is missing.  And that QB coach may soon be OC.  

That was also a really puzzling aspect of the game.  Every shot of Cousins on the sideline saw him standing by himself with a cap on and his arms crossed.  Never saw him sitting looking at film or talking to teammates or coaches except when he got into it with Theilen after the interception.  

In regard to Stef, he has to be able to spread out the defense.  Forcing 2/3 TE sets all day was obviously not getting it done.  We needed to try to open up the offense, try some 4 WR sets, needed to do something to keep them from crowding the line.  He just kept running the same formations and plays over and over.  Did the same thing against GB. 

@"jargomcfargo" said: I just wrote about this in a different thread I believe this is Cousins biggest weakness and explains why he has good stats but a lack of overall success. And since he checks down when not under pressure, when a receiver is open down the field, I question whether a better O-line will help much.

 And yet Orlovsky ran an in-depth piece on Get Up showcasing multiple times Kirk took the checkdown and easy pass with a rusher dead in his face to keep the chains moving time and again in New Orleans.

The Saints don't have the 9ers pass rush but Cousins beat the pressure when guys did get through and did the same with blitzers.

4 guys who can get fast pressure on a QB plus hyperactive LBs. How many Defenses have that?

Kirk struggles when he gets hit early and often. So do most Tier 2 QBs. Hell, the older Tier 1 guys do too. You remedy that with better Line play and more aggressive playcalling.

I still think that alot of Cousins issues (with checking down) has to do with being risk-averse.  We all know how much Zim wants to run a "ball-control" offense and limit turnovers.  I think he's gotten into KC's head, such that our QB isn't willing to take many chances, even if the receiver does appear to be open.

@"pumpf" said: I still think that alot of Cousins issues (with checking down) has to do with being risk-averse.  We all know how much Zim wants to run a "ball-control" offense and limit turnovers.  I think he's gotten into KC's head, such that our QB isn't willing to take many chances, even if the receiver does appear to be open.

eye roll.  It certainly wasn't in his head in NO with the throw to Thielen and then Rudy.  I would lay more blame at the feet of Cousin, especially defenders at the feet of cousins.  He isn't the first QB to have his eyes drop when interior pressure gets home.

I see Cousins is slow on his drop back and not yet set when the ball should be thrown.

He's late in each on the videos.  

Who can't throw to open receivers? If you can't throw to covered receivers then step down. It's about reading before and at the snap, knowing that if pressure comes which receiver will be in single coverage or splitting a zone. It's not rocket science. And at some point in the game when your down 17 in the 4th qtr, you're better off closing your eyes and chucking it where you think a receiver will be rather than taking a sack. At what point did he feel that he was going to get more time in the pocket? It seemed like he thought the next play would give him more time than the previous.Sorry, but this is just a little better than Ponder.

Once again, we're gonna have a new OC, a new system, there will be a learning curve. Prepare for a lot more of this next year. Who knows if Kirk has "it" but we won't find out any time soon with him constantly learning another system as opposed to knowing all this like the back of his hand.