Redskins’ Short-term and Long-term Gamble Pays Off

The Redskins raised more than a few eyebrows last April when in the fourth round the team drafted Michigan State quarterback, Kirk Cousins.  They had drafted Robert Griffin III as the second overall pick to be their franchise QB.   Why waste the pick on another rookie QB?

Fast-forward to week 14.   The Redskins trailed the Ravens by eight with a chance for the division title perhaps on the line.  Suddenly, as Griffin scrambled away from pressure, Haloti Ngata hit him so hard that he seemingly separated Griffin’s body from his knee.  Fans held their collective breath as Griffin hobbled down the field, trying to keep the drive and perhaps the season alive.

It soon became clear he would not be able to finish out the game.  Enter Kirk Cousins.

Cousins came in cold, but went 2 for 2 and hit Pierre Garcon in the end zone for a touchdown.  He capped it all off with a two-yard draw for the game tying two-point conversion.  The Redskins had tied it up and forced overtime where Kai Forbath sealed the 31-28 win.

On Saturday, after a week of watching and waiting, the Redskins announced that Cousins would start against the Brows.  After a very slow start and an interception that led to Cleveland’s first touchdown, Cousins strung together an efficient, very impressive game.  He completed 26 of 37 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns as the Redskins defeated the Browns 38-21.

He did it under immense pressure both on and off the field.  It’s hard to step in for a new hero.  Cleveland’s defense also came in with an aggressive game plan.  With no Griffin, they decided they were going to blitz early and often.  He took some shots, but he got the job done.

While drafting Cousins may have seemed odd, it did make a certain amount of sense. In the later rounds, NFL teams make picks based on value rather than just on need alone.  When a second round caliber QB drops to the fourth round you have an opportunity to steal a real playmaker.  It does not always work out that way, but every draft pick comes with a certain amount of risk.

It’s not about a lack of confidence in Griffin, it’s about having a better backup option than Rex Grossman and having a very valuable trade asset in the future.

It was definitely a gamble.  The Redskins have been dressing only two rookie QBs all season.  There was no guarantee Cousins would be up to the task if Griffin ever went down.  With Grossman inactive most weeks, there would be no one else to turn to if Cousins could not handle the NFL level.  The gamble, however, appears to have paid off.

While Cousins is no Griffin, he has shown that he can be more than just a dependable backup.  We would all like to see Griffin come back as soon as possible, but there is no reason to rush him.  Now, he has another full week to heal and if his knee still is not better by next week, playing Cousins feels like much less of a risk than he did only a few days ago.

The backup QB is an often overlooked position, but every team is always one play away from needing one.  Cousins has shown why it is important to have someone dependable on your depth chart behind the starter.  As a rookie, his ceiling is still high which means his value is as well.  In his one game and two brief appearances, he already looks better than any QB on Arizona or the Jets’ roster.  Cousins’ payoff will not just be on the field.  Expect to see some offers in the offseason.  Teams will pay a lot for what they see as a possible franchise QB.   As the Redskins have few draft picks and are up against a cap penalty, it will be worth listening to what other teams have to offer.

Every QB has bad games and Cousins will be no exception.  When the Redskins needed him, however, he stepped up and got the big win.  Should they need him again, Shanahan no doubt will name him starter with more confidence then perhaps he had last week.

For all the latest DC sports news, check me out on Twitter @TheDC_Sportsguy