Who is Kirk Cousins?

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by punch it in

Your very last sentence would be just fine. Totally agree with the age vs game experience thing. Late bloomer to me is a qb who starts more than one or two seasons worth of games, or drifts around the league as a backup and than bursts on to the scene, not one who rides the bench behind a first round pick for a couple years than gets his chance. I would not call Steve Young a late bloomer. He got a late chance. His and KC's whole NFL trips are very rare. They both were deemed worth holding onto while waiting for their chance.

With all due respect, no. Just. No.

Steve Young was signed out of college in '84 to the LA Express in the USFL - at the time he was given an astronomical contract to do so (10 year/ $40 Million - in '86 the average NFL salary was ~200K). Young played 1 1/2 seasons with them the Express before they went bankrupt then signed with TBay which used the first pick of the 1984 Supplemental Draft to draft and sign him (meaning TBay gave up their first rounder in the regular draft - the 2nd pick overall). His first year with TBay (for which he was only available for about half the season) he started 5 games. His second season with TB he started 14 games. Both years, TBay went 2-14. After two years in TBay where he threw 11 TD's /21 INT's, he was traded to SF for a 2nd and fourth round pick. Walsh specifically acquired Young with the intent to sit behind HOF QB Joe Montana - which Young did for three years. (BTW - in his third year/first in SF, Young threw 10 TD's and no INT's in his three games).

The problem with any comparison to Young is that Young was seen as a top tier talent coming out of college and throughout his early career. Not so Mr. Cousins. Further, sure Young had limited opportunities to start in SF waiting behind Montana ... however, and here is the big difference, Young was never sent to the bench for the likes of COLT MCCOY! KC was given the job last year and LOST IT TO COLT! I repeat - KIRK COUSINS LOST THE STARTING JOB TO COLT MCCOY. Nothing in Steve Young's career is comparable to that simple fact. When given starting opportunities due to injury, Steve Young performed well but was sent to the bench for JOE MONTANA! Sorry, Young is NOT a comparable to KC. Not even a little.

[As an aside, can we stop looking for comparables for KC among HOF QB's - first it was "Manning and Farve threw a lot of INT's their first couple years." Now it's "Well, he is just getting a late shot at starting. Just like Steve Young." Barring a miraculous turnaround by KC that would be contrary to the entirety of his past QB history, no HOF QB should be used as a reasonable comparable to Kirk. Ever.]

Originally Posted by punch it in

Not often a team picks a qb at number two than drafts another so early if at all that year. KC never had a chance in 2012 except to come off the bench and for good reason. 2013 and 2014 to me would be a tough go for any second or third year qb. Changing of regimes and a polarizing guy like RG-3 still clearly at the forefront of the qb discussion.

Kirk has been given shots - certainly last year - to stake his claim. After three years in the league, He did not. It's just that simple.

Originally Posted by punch it in

If we are looking for progress we need not look towards the end of the season. I saw it just last week when he pulled off the biggest comeback in team history. No matter who we were playing that is not an easy thing to do. I for one think KC is smart enough -especially after last week - to learn not to force throws and the issue during a game. He will mature (in starting game years) and wait for a bettet team to be built around him, number one wr, better run game, better o-line, better D!

He had a really good game against TBay, a really good clutch drive in Philly. He sucked against the Giants - badly. I don't know which KC is going to show up in NE but my guess is Bad Kirk. Bad Kirk shows up a lot and at random times.

He has had FOUR YEARS to learn "not to force throws" - yet he forced a Tony-Romo-I-must-be-choking throw in Atlanta that turned into a pick 6. Why "especially after last week" do you think the light has suddenly come on?? More importantly, why do you think it will stay on given his proven inconsistency?? The man is a 27 year old, fourth year QB with plenty of in-game experience & starting experience who has yet to unequivocally demonstrate that he can be a consistent starter in this league.

KC is a great guy who has shown some improvement in his play on a game by game basis. He has not, however, shown that he can string three good games in a row without being incredibly inaccurate and/or avoid multiple picks.

You want to believe in magic transformations, I am not going to stop you. I hope for one too. However, please don't try to sell me magical transformations through ill-conceived attempts at rational logic.