Cousins to start 2015 Season

[44Deezel]

Originally Posted by 30gut

Whether Kirk 'needs' a chance is up for debate.

And just for the sake of accuracy this upcoming chance is Kirk's 3rd. The 1st was with Mike Shanahan in 2013. The 2nd was last year when Griffin was hurt.

I don't think any reasonable person would describe 9 total starts as being a real chance.

[calia]

I think the point that several of us are making is that some of the best QBs in decades had significant INT problems early on -- Brees, Manning, Favre, to name a few. They got over it, but it took time and more starts than Cousins has had (by far). Will Cousins get over it? No one can possibly know that; only time will tell. Give the man time. It isn't as though we have any other real options at this point.

I, for one, am excited to see what the guy can do. There will undoubtedly be growing pains. But I suspect he'll have some games where he lights it up too.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by 44Deezel

I don't think any reasonable person would describe 9 total starts as being a real chance.

Who said the NFL is reasonable?

You may not see the previous 2 stints as opportunities but had he performed better he would have been given greater opportunity.

That's how the league works. When you get your opportunity, however slight you have to capitalize.

Now Kirk has a 3rd shot to prove he's a starting QB in the NFL.

[calia]

Not sure if I can agree with the above comment. By that logic, a number of sure HOF QBs would never have gotten off the ground -- Favre, Brees, and Manning had particularly bumpy starts to their careers.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by calia

Not sure if I can agree with the above comment. By that logic, a number of sure HOF QBs would never have gotten off the ground -- Favre, Brees, and Manning had particularly bumpy starts to their careers.

You gotta be more specific about what you disagree with. Because what you are saying above doesn't follow from my post.

[RedskinJake]

Originally Posted by 30gut

Who said the NFL is reasonable?

You may not see the previous 2 stints as opportunities but had he performed better he would have been given greater opportunity.

That's how the league works. When you get your opportunity, however slight you have to capitalize.

Now Kirk has a 3rd shot to prove he's a starting QB in the NFL.

He is being given greater opportunity. I don't think anyone here believes that his previous starts were honest opportunities. He was forced to prove to everyone that he was the love child of Joe Montana and Sammy Baugh. I think most realize that he was put into a tough situation even if he did struggle. Still, he's handled it well and progressed. Had RG3 done either of those things, he'd be playing. Kirk has made every effort to learn to play the position at the pro level. Time will tell where he ranks. Yesterday was yesterday and today is today. There's no reason he can't be a franchise QB and he can still do that if he throws 20 picks a year. I want to see him lower his interception ratio to 3% but that's not the metric I'm going to judge him by.

Alex Smith threw 6 INTS last year, Drew Brees threw 17..

[Buffalo Bob]

Originally Posted by RedskinJake

Alex Smith threw 6 INTS last year, Drew Brees threw 17..

I wonder what throwing a pick represents on average in cancelling out yardage.
Pretty sure 2 picks and 300 yards passing gives you a better chance to win than 150 yards and no picks. I do seem to recall Cousins throwing a few picks last year when the game was probably lost anyway, so they did no real damage.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by Buffalo Bob

...I do seem to recall Cousins throwing a few picks last year when the game was probably lost anyway, so they did no real damage.

Bob, I'm gonna preface my statement for people that pass through the thread so no one else reads this post and gets sensitive/defensive. I am responding directly to Bob's statement above don't take this and jump to any grand assumptions about my opinion of Kirk, which I've already stated.

Okay...I disagree that last year Kirks picks did no real damage. 8 or Kirks 9 picks came in the second half of games. Some of the picks came when the game was in the balance so there was direct damage.

[Buffalo Bob]

Originally Posted by 30gut

Bob, I'm gonna preface my statement for people that pass through the thread so no one else reads this post and gets sensitive/defensive. I am responding directly to Bob's statement above don't take this and jump to any grand assumptions about my opinion of Kirk, which I've already stated.

Okay...I disagree that last year Kirks picks did no real damage. 8 or Kirks 9 picks came in the second half of games. Some of the picks came when the game was in the balance so there was direct damage.

I don't have the greatest memory, but I can remember a few times figuring
it would have taken a miracle anyway. So even if he doesn't throw the extra pick the Redskins loose. Also as I recall last year's defense made lower tier quarterbacks look like Hall of Famers in the 4th quarter. I think Terry Bridgewater lead two length of the field TD drives in the 4th quarter last year
that beat the Redskins in a winnable game.

I think we all can agree you can't always take statistics at face value.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by Buffalo Bob

I wonder what throwing a pick represents on average in cancelling out yardage.
Pretty sure 2 picks and 300 yards passing gives you a better chance to win than 150 yards and no picks. I do seem to recall Cousins throwing a few picks last year when the game was probably lost anyway, so they did no real damage.

gregg williams said fumbles are worth more yards than ints (cause the start at the line vs deep downfield), but i don't remember if he put a number on it, i'm sure one exists though.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by RedskinJake

He is being given greater opportunity. I don't think anyone here believes that his previous starts were honest opportunities. He was forced to prove to everyone that he was the love child of Joe Montana and Sammy Baugh. I think most realize that he was put into a tough situation even if he did struggle. Still, he's handled it well and progressed.

I don't understand why people are so defensive about Kirk previous chances? There is no need to rationalize and explain. No one is saying that his previous chances were the best opportunities, only that Kirk did have them.

...There's no reason he can't be a franchise QB and he can still do that if he throws 20 picks a year. I want to see him lower his interception ratio to 3% but that's not the metric I'm going to judge him by.

Time will answer the Kirk question.

And to your bolded statement above sure, Kirk could be one of those QBs that throws a bunch of picks but still remains a solid starter. But in your scenario he's gonna have to balance those picks with stellar production in yards and TDs. Basically he's gonna have to be Drew Brees to throw as many picks as you say and still be solid starter.

I think an easier path to success for Kirk is to lower the INT%, improve on 3rd downs and drop backs lasting longer then 2.5s.

[Bucket]

Originally Posted by 30gut

I don't understand why people are so defensive about Kirk previous chances? There is no need to rationalize and explain. No one is saying that his previous chances were the best opportunities, only that Kirk did have them.

Time will answer the Kirk question.

And to your bolded statement above sure, Kirk could be one of those QBs that throws a bunch of picks but still remains a solid starter. But in your scenario he's gonna have to balance those picks with stellar production in yards and TDs. Basically he's gonna have to be Drew Brees to throw as many picks as you say and still be solid starter.

I think an easier path to success for Kirk is to lower the INT%, improve on 3rd downs and drop backs lasting longer then 2.5s.

Last year he was one pace for 31TD/27 INT and 5000 yards. Would that be reasonable for you this year?