My gut feeling is if the OL holds up, Cousins will be solid (though maybe not at these heights) for most games... And if I remember correctly, Darrisaw was known as a better pass blocker than a run blocker....
Amen. There’s been streakiness to his OL play too, mostly on the downside recent years. Last week he had more time in a clean pocket than I can ever remember. I’ll bet his game to game ratings highly correlate to OL pass blocking PFF scores. More rare for him was last week’s performance when things broke down. Some of those conversions he made were uncharacteristic and won’t persist but clean pocket success is pretty reproducible.
Great article! I’m on the cautiously optimistic side. The support for Cousins is much better as you mentioned with improved guards, solid wr3, and a coordinator that designs quick throws. All he’s missing now is a competent defense which will hopefully turn around soon. Also, the Kirk coaster is overstated imo. Actually he’s remarkably consistent. 17 straight games with a QB rating over 90 which is second only to Peyton Manning in NFL history.
It's a fair point. My only quibble is that QB rating rewards all the things that Cousins is good at, but ignores the things that he is bad at (dubious pocket presence and taking sacks/fumbles, completing 5 yard passes on 3rd and 7). Unlike, e.g., QBR, it's also agnostic as to the game context when stats accrue, which seemingly benefits Cousins--though I haven't seen data on that issue.
Here's a theory: Cousins is, as we all know, kind of a roboQB. He will throw the ball where the defence dictates, even if that means throwing to, you know, Laquon Treadwell on a big down. With the emergence of Osborn and, arguably, Conklin as legit threats on any down (vs a very slow Rudolph and very limited Bebe), maybe what Cousins is doing isn't any different than before. Maybe the players he is throwing to are just better able to get open and down the field.
That bomb to Osborn for example on the first play against the Bengals. I assume we had three wideouts on the field at the time, and, if so, I think it's safe to say Bebe wouldn't have been that open, and wouldn't have scored if he had.
Maybe that we don't have a below-replacement-level skill player this season plus a bit better play on the o-line together account for what we have seen in the first three games. I think the Browns will tell us a lot about what kind of season Kirk is really having.
Interesting points Matthew. I agree with The Dude’s assessment, plus the addition of a productive #3 receiver enables Cousins to do his job. Are things going to be different? I hope so, but as a looonnng time Viking fan, I can’t help but feel like Charlie Brown getting ready to kick with Lucy spotting….
My gut feeling is if the OL holds up, Cousins will be solid (though maybe not at these heights) for most games... And if I remember correctly, Darrisaw was known as a better pass blocker than a run blocker....
Amen. There’s been streakiness to his OL play too, mostly on the downside recent years. Last week he had more time in a clean pocket than I can ever remember. I’ll bet his game to game ratings highly correlate to OL pass blocking PFF scores. More rare for him was last week’s performance when things broke down. Some of those conversions he made were uncharacteristic and won’t persist but clean pocket success is pretty reproducible.
Great article! I’m on the cautiously optimistic side. The support for Cousins is much better as you mentioned with improved guards, solid wr3, and a coordinator that designs quick throws. All he’s missing now is a competent defense which will hopefully turn around soon. Also, the Kirk coaster is overstated imo. Actually he’s remarkably consistent. 17 straight games with a QB rating over 90 which is second only to Peyton Manning in NFL history.
It's a fair point. My only quibble is that QB rating rewards all the things that Cousins is good at, but ignores the things that he is bad at (dubious pocket presence and taking sacks/fumbles, completing 5 yard passes on 3rd and 7). Unlike, e.g., QBR, it's also agnostic as to the game context when stats accrue, which seemingly benefits Cousins--though I haven't seen data on that issue.
Here's a theory: Cousins is, as we all know, kind of a roboQB. He will throw the ball where the defence dictates, even if that means throwing to, you know, Laquon Treadwell on a big down. With the emergence of Osborn and, arguably, Conklin as legit threats on any down (vs a very slow Rudolph and very limited Bebe), maybe what Cousins is doing isn't any different than before. Maybe the players he is throwing to are just better able to get open and down the field.
That bomb to Osborn for example on the first play against the Bengals. I assume we had three wideouts on the field at the time, and, if so, I think it's safe to say Bebe wouldn't have been that open, and wouldn't have scored if he had.
Maybe that we don't have a below-replacement-level skill player this season plus a bit better play on the o-line together account for what we have seen in the first three games. I think the Browns will tell us a lot about what kind of season Kirk is really having.
Anyway, great piece as always!
Interesting points Matthew. I agree with The Dude’s assessment, plus the addition of a productive #3 receiver enables Cousins to do his job. Are things going to be different? I hope so, but as a looonnng time Viking fan, I can’t help but feel like Charlie Brown getting ready to kick with Lucy spotting….