Grading the Redskins quarterbacks on their 2017 performance
Kirk Cousins
There are so many factors to consider when talking about grading Kirk Cousins. On the one hand, he did well to function after losing two 1,000 yard receivers and losing 20 players around him to Injured Reserve. On the other hand, Cousins came up short in some big games and didn’t do enough to consistently lead the team to victory. So where is the truth on Cousins? As usual, it’s somewhere in the middle.
Let’s start with the positives. At times this season, Cousins was simply brilliant. His best display came against the Raiders in their Week 3 battle that put the Redskins on the map with a signature win. In the 27-10 victory, Cousins showed masterful accuracy and excellent ball placement, going 25-of-30 for 365 yards and three touchdowns. This allowed the Redskins offense to thrive, and this was despite being without Jordan Reed, Rob Kelley, and the other weapons that the Redskins had lost in the offseason.
In that moment, it looked like Cousins was on his way to having another great season. And by the end of the year, he did put up very strong number. He completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,093 yards, 27 scores, and 13 picks. He looked better throwing outside the pocket and he demonstrated an ability to win games for the team. At the same time, that ability to win was inconsistent.
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When looking at a quarterback, win-loss record is obviously extremely important. While football is a team sport and not all losses can be pinned on the passer, especially the loss to New Orleans where the team’s defense blew a 15-point lead in six minutes, Cousins still only led the team to a 7-9 record. As Jay Gruden recently mentioned in a press conference, even though Cousins had a solid season, the team didn’t make the playoffs. That is a knock on his performance.
Part of the problem when Cousins was off was that he tried to force balls in to where they didn’t belong. In the final week against the Giants, Cousins stared down his receivers, misfired on key passes, and didn’t do enough to bring his team a victory against a weak Giants squad. Though the team was depleted by injuries, he was supposed to make them competitive. He didn’t, and that’s where the fundamental disconnect lies between Cousins supporters and people who think Cousins is mediocre.
More often than not this season, Cousins had solid to above average performances. His signature game was against the Raiders and that was a thing of beauty. At the same time, the lows were worse this year than they were in 2016, so he deserves a lower grade. Cousins is still an above average quarterback, so that will do enough to keep this grade in the B-range.