ES: First Cousins, Once RG3 is Removed

[Laron Burgundy]

Don't look now, but the Browns have won their last 3 in a row. If RG3 can play he's going to play. Skins have to win out for a good chance at the playoffs.

I also think his knee will be significantly better by the end of the week. That was 1 of those injuries that looks a lot worse than it is.

Nice write up though...

Don't look now, but the Browns have beaten KC (the worst team in the league), Oakland (the second worst team in the league) and Pittsburgh with their 3rd string qb. I don't mind Cousins at all because our gameplan should be to hand the ball to a runningback 50 times.

[GO HAMSKINS]

nice write up even if I don't agree with most of it

Only about 90% of it LMAO...Kurt threw two passes..(let's calm down everyone) So now he's better than RGIII Buahahahahah!!... Remember the ATL gm.He came in a threw a TD pass then it was down hill from there. Let the Coaches make that decision. Kurt is a nice back up but I don't know if he's ready to take on that leader role right now. Hell, Morris production probably will decrease if RGIII is not the QB just saying that has to make it tough for the rook

[NeueRedskinWelle]

Even if he can play, I agree with sitting RG3. That leg bending was vicious, and having a week off to rest it is important for the long run. The browns are no where near a walkover, but I'm confident in Cousins running the offense against them.

[redskins4ever28]

Good read, BUT, I disagree completely.

Kirk Cousins threw TWO passes... TWO.

And also ran a 2 yd run for a 2 pt conversion. First off, that first pass, to hank, he was wide open. Not taking anything away from cousins but the coverage was a "fence" coverage protecting the end zone. The 2nd pass, Johnson (the Ravens DB) misread the play completely. Garcon ran an out but Johnson bit on the stop and thought he would come out of the fence to tackle, then Garcon burnt him and was wide open again. Luckily, the punt return saved us in OT and we didnt have to witness a Cousins miscue. Remember what he did vs the Falcons. Two interceptions in half a quarter. Yes, he did have a 77 yd td, again on a broken coverage. Regardless, RG3 gives us the absolute best chance to win and I pray he can play. I think he will play, I really do.

[Mr.Skinbo]

Robert has gotta play if we want to beat the Browns.....let that sink in.......I dont want Robert to get injured any further as much as the next guy......but if he can go, and doctors say he can go then we need him. The Browns are no push overs and in the past month they have shown defensively what they can do. We'll need our best player to beat them.

[Koolblue13]

I am confident the coaches will make a decision.

[Destructis]

Kurt threw two passes..(let's calm down everyone) So now he's better than RGIII Buahahahahah!!... Remember the ATL gm.He came in a threw a TD pass then it was down hill from there. Let the Coaches make that decision. Kurt is a nice back up but I don't know if he's ready to take on that leader role right now. Hell, Morris production probably will decrease if RGIII is not the QB just saying that has to make it tough for the rook

It's Kirk DAMMIT!

[E-Dog Night]

I am confident the coaches will make a decision.

Yes, I am confident of this as well.

Would be kind of awkward if they didn't.

Michelle Tafoya, interviewing Mike Shanahan as the Redskins take the field before the kickoff:

"Mike, it's game time, who is going to be the starting quarterback?"

Shanny: "Well Michelle, we haven't really decided as of yet. And I don't think we're going to. We're simply not going to make a decision on that. Should be an interesting game."

[ke27on]

Good read, BUT, I disagree completely.

Kirk Cousins threw TWO passes... TWO.

And also ran a 2 yd run for a 2 pt conversion. First off, that first pass, to hank, he was wide open. Not taking anything away from cousins but the coverage was a "fence" coverage protecting the end zone. The 2nd pass, Johnson (the Ravens DB) misread the play completely. Garcon ran an out but Johnson bit on the stop and thought he would come out of the fence to tackle, then Garcon burnt him and was wide open again. Luckily, the punt return saved us in OT and we didnt have to witness a Cousins miscue. Remember what he did vs the Falcons. Two interceptions in half a quarter. Yes, he did have a 77 yd td, again on a broken coverage. Regardless, RG3 gives us the absolute best chance to win and I pray he can play. I think he will play, I really do.

I TOTALLY agree with this. So while I certainly hope to see Cousins do well and I was glad with what I saw, I can't say i have faith in him. The last time we saw him for a lengthy period was the atlanta game where he really stunk. He seems to stare down his receivers and even seemed to do that on the garcon pass. Honestly I wouldn't be totally against grossman although you never know if you'll get the 'bad rex'.

If griffin is not much better id rather see him not be playing. No point in getting worse. We have to win this game, but we also have to win the other two games as well against opponents that are not easy either. I'd rather him miss this next game if not healthy than be screwed for the rest of the season

[Burgold]

Want more improbability? How about yet another rookie, returning punts in the NFL for the first time in his life, taking a beautifully placed, 56-yard Sam Koch punt from against the sideline deep in his own territory and bringing it back 64 yards.

Need more improbable rookie heroics? Why not, we’re on a rookie roll! How about a rookie kicker, who had already made 48 & 49 yard field goals in the game to keep his streak of perfection alive, slamming home the game winner on a sloppy field as if he were Morton Anderson practicing in a dome.

On a rain slicked field no less!

[lavar1156]

The Browns' last 3 wins have hardly been impressive. Griffin should be at least 90%.

[DC9]

It's supposed to snow on Sunday in Cleveland and Rob has a weak knee at best... let the Big 10 kid start the game. If you need Robert, go to him... but if Cousins can get the job done, let him go. No need to risk Robert in this game.

I respect Cleveland, but Kirk Cousins was a multiple year Captain and I am confident in him.

[Laron Burgundy]

Robert has gotta play if we want to beat the Browns.....let that sink in.......I dont want Robert to get injured any further as much as the next guy......but if he can go, and doctors say he can go then we need him. The Browns are no push overs and in the past month they have shown defensively what they can do. We'll need our best player to beat them.

We should beat this Browns team with Grossman at qb. Shouldn't risk injury to RG3 when this team is a pushover. You're talking about a cleveland team that has 5 wins, one in a monsoon against san diego (bad team), one against KC (worst team in league), one against Oakland (2nd worst team in league), and one against 3rd string qb Pittsburgh. Their one win of ANY quality was against Cinci at home.

Obviously our team shouldn't just scoff at them, but if we can't beat these guys with our 2nd or 3rd string qb (mind you our qb depth is better than Pittsburgh's), then we have more issues on the team than just an rg3 injury. Cousins was rated as a 2nd round qb going into the draft, one spot behind Weeden. Weeden is not significantly better than him, winning just has to be a team effort.

[Binton]

Don't get me wrong I love RG3, but I think its wise to start Cousins. Nobody has tape on him and Browns have momentum [as do we] but still.

[ouvan59]

Without all those abilities, he’s simply not RG3.

There’s no way he can do his thing a week after getting his leg bent in a way that no human should ever get their leg bent by a man as big as Haloti Nagata.

One day, he will likely be able to overcome a situation like this. But for right now, as good as he’s been, RG3 is at a point where he needs to use his legs to be who he is.

He’s not a polished pocket passer yet. So much of his success in the passing game is predicated on his ability to threaten defenses with his legs, one way or another. If a defense doesn’t have to defend against a 100% healthy RG3, then they can expose his rawness in the traditional NFL pocket passing game.

That’s Kirk Cousin’s game. Let him play it, if only just this once.

You've been able to glean this from one 15 yard drive? RGIII on one leg did most of the heavy lifting yesterday. He's also the most accurate pocket passer in a Redskin uniform since Sonny. You might be right. Maybe Cousins is ready and a better option but you have no friggin clue if this is true or not based on the little evidence we've seen.

[Skinz4Life12]

kirk looks promising, but he threw two freaking passes and some of you act like he's going to walk all over the browns. smh

[Laron Burgundy]

You've been able to glean this from one 15 yard drive? RGIII on one leg did most of the heavy lifting yesterday. He's also the most accurate pocket passer in a Redskin uniform since Sonny. You might be right. Maybe Cousins is ready and a better option but you have no friggin clue if this is true or not based on the little evidence we've seen.

This game should just be a ton of handoffs anyways. Snowy game against a bad team should equal 40+ handoffs. That's why I wouldn't be amiss if RG3 does play, because I'd expect him to just be a game manager this game, but it's also why I think starting Cousins would not significantly harm us.

[ILikeBilly]

Only one mention of Grossman in this whole thread. If Robert is out, I would be very comfortable with Grossman getting the start. He was good last year when the o-line and running game were fresh, as they are now. He knows the whole offense. Cousins' may be easy to confuse. I trust our coaches, but all things being equal, I think we have a better chance to win with Grossman instead of Cousins. Start the vet and if he starts fumbling the game away, put in Kirk. Both backups should get time with the #1s this week.

[Laron Burgundy]

kirk looks promising, but he threw two freaking passes and some of you act like he's going to walk all over the browns. smh

And lol, considering that Batch threw for almost 200. And make no mistake, his 3 ints hurt, but I'm going to put blame on the FIVE fumbles by rb's, as well as absolutely no run game. We don't expect Kirk to walk all over the browns, we expect Morris to and our defense to hold them down. All we expect Kirk to do is manage the game.

[Bacon]

I'm faaaaaaaaaaaar more concerned with Kirk managing the game than RG3 managing the game. RG3 takes care of the ball like few QBs in the league. I would rather stick him in the pocket and minimize his scrambles, let him manage the game from there and have Almo do the rest. As long as RG3 can plant his foot and deliver a strike, I know he's a better option than Cousins. He's smart enough not to throw a pick, which Cousins already managed to do in like a quarter of play.

[DC9]

kirk looks promising, but he threw two freaking passes and some of you act like he's going to walk all over the browns. smh

Little brother,

I think more people are more worried about Robert long term... he's shown he's pretty good off of a week of rest in the past... why not let Cousins go in there and start and let RG3 heal fully?

Or would you rather him go in there and get his leg smoked on a slick field?

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

Some people want Kirk to play well to increase his trade value. I want him to play well and then I want to keep him.

People tend to underestimate the value of a good backup QB. With that being said, I would be surprised if Griffin didn't play Sunday.

[Skinz4Life12]

Little brother,

I think more people are more worried about Robert long term... he's shown he's pretty good off of a week of rest in the past... why not let Cousins go in there and start and let RG3 heal fully?

Or would you rather him go in there and get his leg smoked on a slick field?

on a slick field? now we are resorting to predicting the weather a week out as an excuse to bench Griffin?

If Griffin says he can play and the doctors clear him, he needs to play. I doubt we beat the browns otherwise and our playoff chances diminish significantly and this great run will be all for not.

[Rocky52Mc]

Steven Strasburg his ass and make him watch us lose in the playoffs.

[styx491]

I agree with this, RG3's aura of "will he run or won't he" is lost if his knee is messed up, plus defenders will be looking to hit him around that area too. The Browns haven't played anyone substantial as of late and their offense and defensive stats are inflated because of that. Cousins can run this offense well especially if we get our run game going, which I don't see how we can't. Our running game will be going and the play action and quick passes WILL be there. I would much much rather rest RG3 this week and next week, have him be the primary backup, even go so far as making him come in 5 times in the Browns game to mess with their heads a little. We SHOULD win this game with our run game and offensive scheme, one that Cousins can run and should be able to be fairly adept at. Our defense should get some turnovers as well and hopefully stop Trent Richardson. If we can do that, then I don't see us losing.