Cousins in the “big games”

[Foreman44]

I posted same in another post. Fits in better here

We need a QB with some mobility. Like Wilson, Lewis. Not necessarily one that depends on the run, but capable of getting out of trouble. Cousins is a sitting duck...

Would it help with a better offensive line, without doubt...put many other QBS besides Cousins they would do fine,

Bree’s imo is Cousins like in mobility. But he releases the ball quickly...Cousins will never have that. If so he would have done so by now,

He is what he is. A statue QB that holds onto the ball way to long.

A top 5 offensive line is needed, he would probably have problems even then.

Time for change,...

1. New. QB.

2. New Coach, staff

3. New GM

4, might as well go full rebuild, sucks. But this team is going nowhere.

[VikeFanInEagleLand]

I posted same in another post. Fits in better here

We need a QB with some mobility. Like Wilson, Lewis. Not necessarily one that depends on the run, but capable of getting out of trouble. Cousins is a sitting duck...

Would it help with a better offensive line, without doubt...put many other QBS besides Cousins they would do fine,

Bree’s imo is Cousins like in mobility. But he releases the ball quickly...Cousins will never have that. If so he would have done so by now,

He is what he is. A statue QB that holds onto the ball way to long.

A top 5 offensive line is needed, he would probably have problems even then.

Time for change,...

1. New. QB.

2. New Coach, staff

3. New GM

4, might as well go full rebuild, sucks. But this team is going nowhere.

But I don't really think it's Cousin's lack of athleticism that make him immobile, I think it's that his brain can't process everything fast enough. By the time he realizes that he needs to move, it's too late. Which is also why I think he stares down his receivers a lot too. His brain has to process that that's the receiver he wants to throw to before he actually attempts the pass.

[J. Kapp 11]

Cousins has strengths.
He has a strong arm. Not a cannon, but plenty strong enough to make every throw. He throws a really nice deep ball.

He's accurate, even on the run.

He's smart and analytical. In my opinion, however, he may be too smart. He overthinks everything, right down to scheduling his day in 10-minute increments on an Excel spreadsheet.

He works hard, and he's prepared.

He's tough. He'll take a hit, and he hasn't missed a game due to injury.

And darn it, people like him.

Cousins also has weaknesses.
He can't escape. It's not that he can't run. He's a reasonably decent athlete for a quarterback. Better athlete than Brady, far short of Wilson or Jackson. But he doesn't know how to escape. He doesn't seem to know where pressure is going to come from pre-snap, so when he gets pressure, he panics because he doesn't know where his escape route is. This has been a criticism since college, and he hasn't improved. Want to see a pocket passer who understands escape routes? Watch Rodgers. Even when there's pressure, he always casually makes his way to a soft spot because he knows pre-snap where the pressure is going to come from. When Cousins gets pressure, it's like he sees it as totally unexpected. Then his eyes go down, and he's sunk.

He seems to be easily duped by defensive backs. Brees manipulates DBs with his eyes. DBs manipulate Cousins. His second pick against Atlanta, a ROOKIE tricked him into that throw.

He has no idea when to throw the ball away. I can't remember 10 passes in his entire Vikings career where he simply ran outside the tackle box and threw it away without getting clobbered. How many times do we all yell at the TV, "Just throw it away!" about 5 seconds before he actually decides to do it?

He can't improvise. That's not to say he can't go through his progressions. But when his line breaks down, when a receiver gets knocked off his route, when something goes awry, he can't seem to make a play. Look at all his best plays and throws. They happen when everything goes as planned. When it's exactly the right play call.

So ... as it applies to Cousins in "big games" or "big moments"? It all depends on everything going according to plan. If the opponent can bust up the plan, they beat Cousins.

Look at the New Orleans win last year. Why was Cousins able to make the big plays in overtime? Because his team wasn't behind. Him messing up wasn't likely to cost his team the game directly. New Orleans had to respect both run and pass ... Cook had just gashed them for a nice run when Cousins made the throw to Thielen.

Contrast that with virtually every game where the Vikings were behind late and Cousins had to come through or the Vikings would lose. Even the Denver game ... we took the lead with something like 5 minutes left in the game. Last two minutes, with the Vikings behind, Cousins almost always fails. I can't think of a single time where he came through. Maybe the first Green Bay game in 2018. That's it. And the reason, I believe, is that when the Vikings are behind, opposing DCs know that if they can dial up pressure and get Cousins off-script, he'll fail. In the last two minutes, all you need is for him to mess up one play. Opponents believe they can do that with Cousins, and they usually do.

Kirk Cousins can play at an MVP level when everything goes right. But the NFL is about making plays when things break down. You don't pay QBs big money for stats. You pay them for making plays. Unfortunately, our staff and front office fell in love with stats.

[Foreman44]

I posted same in another post. Fits in better here

We need a QB with some mobility. Like Wilson, Lewis. Not necessarily one that depends on the run, but capable of getting out of trouble. Cousins is a sitting duck...

Would it help with a better offensive line, without doubt...put many other QBS besides Cousins they would do fine,

Bree’s imo is Cousins like in mobility. But he releases the ball quickly...Cousins will never have that. If so he would have done so by now,

He is what he is. A statue QB that holds onto the ball way to long.

A top 5 offensive line is needed, he would probably have problems even then.

Time for change,...

1. New. QB.

2. New Coach, staff

3. New GM

4, might as well go full rebuild, sucks. But this team is going nowhere.

But I don't really think it's Cousin's lack of athleticism that make him immobile, I think it's that his brain can't process everything fast enough. By the time he realizes that he needs to move, it's too late. Which is also why I think he stares down his receivers a lot too. His brain has to process that that's the receiver he wants to throw to before he actually attempts the pass.

You could be right. But all manages he can’t do a quality job in bringing the team back when behind, would the top oline make any difference at hat point

[fiestavike]

But I don't really think it's Cousin's lack of athleticism that make him immobile, I think it's that his brain can't process everything fast enough. By the time he realizes that he needs to move, it's too late. Which is also why I think he stares down his receivers a lot too. His brain has to process that that's the receiver he wants to throw to before he actually attempts the pass.

You could be right. But all manages he can’t do a quality job in bringing the team back when behind, would the top oline make any difference at hat point

Yep. Cousins is a dud. He is an analyst, not a leader. He's the equivalent of a position coach who should never ever be considered for a head coaching position. He is Sobel in Band of Brothers. Put him in a room with the WRs or QBs and let him plan things out with them. Just as long as he doesnt have to be out there facing the live bullets, he can be a good resource for the guys that are. He just cant do it. He is temperamentally incapable of being that guy, and yes, that means Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgwater and even Case Keenum are far better QBs than Kirk Cousins and his #### fantasy football stats.

[Bowhunting Viking]

Just giving you the thoughts of an older aged, long suffering and old school throwback Vikings fan.
I turn 64 today and have been a die hard Vikes fan since I was wearing little Vikings P.J.s
I personally don't care about stats. Especially when the positive stats occur when your team has already lost the game and the opposing Defense is playing prevent and "giving" all the short passes and chunks of yardage you want. Those plays mean absolutely except for the fantasy games.
I rely on the eyeball test.
I wanna see a guy trotting onto the field like... God Forbid I am saying this.. but guys like Erin Rodgers or Russel Wilson trotting onto the field when its crunch time. A guy I can look at and think We got them right where we want them. He will take us down and score and win this.
I don't enjoy having a guy that you have to think well it's over. No way we will pull this out. And I don't want to hear about the Saints game last year. That was awesome. It was incredible!! Unfortunately it isn't the norm for us as Vikings fans. It was the exception. We have to admit that it doesn't happen very often for us.
I also want to see a guy who is successful when trying break down and everything is against them. Every Pro QB should be able to make the play when everything goes as planned and the play is executed perfectly. I want the guy who uses his athleticism, his arm and his instincts to improvise and make a great play. That makes it fun. Not a guy who gets rattled and folds up when the pressure comes.
Having a guy who is a great person off the field and who is a nice guy is a great thing. But on the field when the game is on the line, that also means little. In my opinion Erin is total dickhead. I have no use for the guy at all. But if I can be in the SB, with 1:20 left, no timeouts and 80 yrds to go for a winning TD, I would take him as my QB any day. I would feel very confident that he will get us the Lombardi Trophy. Sorry but I sure don't have that confidence in our current situation.
I tried very hard to believe in Cousins. Kept waiting for him to prove the majority of us wrong and Be The Man. Well, I have finally tapped out and submitted that we again made a huge mistake. We did not sign an outstanding franchise QB who could take us to the promised land. Nope , we just overspent and handcuffed the organization into mediocrity, not even that this season, for a regular professional QB who will suit up and give you some good plays/ bad plays and leave you wishing you had the QB of the team that is kicking your #### for another week of misery.
It just sucks being stuck in the same old pool of quicksand once again.

[Foreman44]

Just giving you the thoughts of an older aged, long suffering and old school throwback Vikings fan.
I turn 64 today and have been a die hard Vikes fan since I was wearing little Vikings P.J.s
I personally don't care about stats. Especially when the positive stats occur when your team has already lost the game and the opposing Defense is playing prevent and "giving" all the short passes and chunks of yardage you want. Those plays mean absolutely except for the fantasy games.
I rely on the eyeball test.
I wanna see a guy trotting onto the field like... God Forbid I am saying this.. but guys like Erin Rodgers or Russel Wilson trotting onto the field when its crunch time. A guy I can look at and think We got them right where we want them. He will take us down and score and win this.
I don't enjoy having a guy that you have to think well it's over. No way we will pull this out. And I don't want to hear about the Saints game last year. That was awesome. It was incredible!! Unfortunately it isn't the norm for us as Vikings fans. It was the exception. We have to admit that it doesn't happen very often for us.
I also want to see a guy who is successful when trying break down and everything is against them. Every Pro QB should be able to make the play when everything goes as planned and the play is executed perfectly. I want the guy who uses his athleticism, his arm and his instincts to improvise and make a great play. That makes it fun. Not a guy who gets rattled and folds up when the pressure comes.
Having a guy who is a great person off the field and who is a nice guy is a great thing. But on the field when the game is on the line, that also means little. In my opinion Erin is total dickhead. I have no use for the guy at all. But if I can be in the SB, with 1:20 left, no timeouts and 80 yrds to go for a winning TD, I would take him as my QB any day. I would feel very confident that he will get us the Lombardi Trophy. Sorry but I sure don't have that confidence in our current situation.
I tried very hard to believe in Cousins. Kept waiting for him to prove the majority of us wrong and Be The Man. Well, I have finally tapped out and submitted that we again made a huge mistake. We did not sign an outstanding franchise QB who could take us to the promised land. Nope , we just overspent and handcuffed the organization into mediocrity, not even that this season, for a regular professional QB who will suit up and give you some good plays/ bad plays and leave you wishing you had the QB of the team that is kicking your #### for another week of misery.
It just sucks being stuck in the same old pool of quicksand once again.

Foreman44

I am with you.. Happy Birthday?.

I personally regretted not drafting Russell Wilson. I don’t know how many times I said I wished we had him. As much as I dislike Rodgers. How nice it would be to have him... sucks going through what we have with QBs...

Onebig one I was wrong on was Drew Brees. I didn’t want him when he was a free agent. I was concerned with injuries.... Oh how different our QB history could have changed.

[Bowhunting Viking]

Thanks Foreman44. And yes Brees is another one we missed out on.
I don't know why but I turn 56 today. I swear I typed 56 in my post but I saw where it said 64 lol. Holy crap the years fly by fast enough I don't need to tack 8 more years on in 1 day.
Senility must be starting to hit

[chicagopurple]

Cousin sucks.....he has always sucked
The whole league has known it (except brainiac Spielman).
His massive contact and EXTENSION will likely outshadow the epic fail that was the Herschel Walker Trade.
I am sooooo tired of all the folks who prop him up and make excuses for his lame career.
We are toast....will amount to nothing until the entire front office/coaching staff is blown up.

[J. Kapp 11]

You could be right. But all manages he can’t do a quality job in bringing the team back when behind, would the top oline make any difference at hat point

Yep. Cousins is a dud. He is an analyst, not a leader. He's the equivalent of a position coach who should never ever be considered for a head coaching position. He is Sobel in Band of Brothers. Put him in a room with the WRs or QBs and let him plan things out with them. Just as long as he doesnt have to be out there facing the live bullets, he can be a good resource for the guys that are. He just cant do it. He is temperamentally incapable of being that guy, and yes, that means Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgwater and even Case Keenum are far better QBs than Kirk Cousins and his #### fantasy football stats.

You just made something click in my brain.

Kirk Cousins would be a great backup QB.

He's analytical, he's good in the QB room, and he could hold the fort as a player if the starter went down.

But I'm with you ... as a starter, he's just not the guy. Anybody who calls himself "the CEO on the field" is an analyst, not a leader.