Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Kirk Cousins Rallies Team For Historic Comeback

Kirk Cousins has been scrutinized the last few games for his inconsistent performances, but Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have silenced his critics—for now.

The Redskins found themselves in a hole right from the start as they were down 24-0 in the second quarter. At this point, fair-weather fans, or should I say Robert Griffin III supporters, started booing the 'Skins. Some of the players, like Keenan Robinson, took note of this. After the game, he tweeted, "If yall so fed up then stay at home. We lay it all on the line every time we play. The opposing teams get paid too. Its the NFL for a reason."

Not to worry, fair-weather fans, for Captain Kirk was at the helm and did not disappoint. Cousins ran for an 8-yard touchdown, getting Washington on the board. He proceeded to throw three touchdowns, with the most crucial of them coming with only 24 seconds left. This was Cousins' second game-winning drive in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter in the month of October. The last player to accomplish such a feat was Drew Bledsoe back in 2005.

Cousins also tied a franchise record for completions (33 of 40), while his 124.7 passer rating is the highest of his career.

After leading his team to the largest comeback in Redskins history, Cousins was fired up, and rightfully so. As he walked past a local reporter, he shouted, "You Like That!," which came as a surprise to many since Cousins usually has a calm demeanor. However, it was all in good fun and presumably resulted from being scrutinized so much lately.

Unlike RG3, Cousins is proving to be a game manager and one that can stay healthy without getting sacked every other play. Hopeless fans are still clinging to RG3's magical 2012 season, constantly reminding others of what he was capable of. News flash: that was 3 years ago; he is not the same player anymore. This is Cousins' first season as the starter—let him play and continue to grow. RG3 had his share of opportunities, and now it is Cousins' turn.