Atlanta has a pretty darn good defense, yet Cousins, who was winning the game, managed to use sound passing and good decision making to blow a lead and lose the game for Washington.

The real, telling factor is how little respect Atlanta had for Cousins: choosing to focus the defense on simply stopping the run. Alfred Morris was having a career day until Griffin was knocked out of the game, but without a starting quarterback, Mike Smith felt comfortable simply stopping the run instead of the balanced defense they were using when there was a real quarterback in the game.

No offense to Kirk, of course, he is a smart kid, a good decision maker and a sound passer. He just isn’t a starting caliber player yet at this point in his career.
—————
Just because Kirk hasn’t gotten first team reps and was unprepared to get thrown in against the Falcons doesn’t change my point. If you loom around the league at QB’s who tend to run if their first read isn’t open, like RG3, they have a horrible track record against good defenses. A pocket passer with good decision making skills and good accuracy, is what wins those games. Although RG3 is athletic freak, at the NFL level that elite college athleticism is average. That is why he is taking a beatings in games lately. He’s used to being able to run away with games via his athleticism and now can’t do that any more. He also hasn’t adjusted his play to the speed of NFL defenders. He’d better make that adjustment quick too, because of he doesn’t we’ll be seeing a lot more of Krik Cousins.

You know that stop sign where you never actually have to stop or that one street in your neighborhood where the speed limit is really more of a guideline. You know that maybe, one day, a cop will be there and it’s gonna cost you, but it didn’t happen the last ten times, so why should you stop at the sign today?

Griffin, Vick, and Newton fundamentally understand when they should and shouldn’t run, when they should slide, and when they should just throw the ball away. The problem is how often they are able to run into a brick wall and pull out an eight yard gain. If seven out of eight times they end up with a great play, the idea of danger is not reinforced and they will continue to put themselves in harm’s way.

This time “the cop was there”: Griffin ended up with a concussion and the Redskins probably lost the game because of it.

Hopefully for Washington fans, one reckless ticket was enough and Griffin learned a lot from yesterday’s loss. However, the real point is that all the hindsight suggestions: all the “why didn’t he run out of bounds” talk, the “just throw it away, man” chatter; is all pointless. We all know that if Griffin had pulled out a nine yard run there, he’d be rookie of the week again. Griffin knows how to stay safe, he knows how to play smart football, but the only one who can keep Griffin safe is Griffin himself.

He’s a smart kid though, and Washington fans should like their odds.

It only gets worse as you get older

thankheavenfornumberseven says:
Oct 8, 2012 4:35 PM
I hope he plays. The Vikings could use a challenge.

—————-

I’d be more scared of the Redskins if they had Kirk Cousins at QB. He’s a more sound passer and better decision maker than RG3. Those two factors are what wins games against good defenses.
______________
Sounds like somebody hasn’t seen Griffin play yet this season.

Atlanta has a pretty darn good defense, yet Cousins, who was winning the game, managed to use sound passing and good decision making to blow a lead and lose the game for Washington.

The real, telling factor is how little respect Atlanta had for Cousins: choosing to focus the defense on simply stopping the run. Alfred Morris was having a career day until Griffin was knocked out of the game, but without a starting quarterback, Mike Smith felt comfortable simply stopping the run instead of the balanced defense they were using when there was a real quarterback in the game.

No offense to Kirk, of course, he is a smart kid, a good decision maker and a sound passer. He just isn’t a starting caliber player yet at this point in his career.

 —————-

I’d be more scared of the Redskins if they had Kirk Cousins at QB. He’s a more sound passer and better decision maker than RG3. Those two factors are what wins games against good defenses.

If that is the case, then his brain sloshed around a bit in there, and I really don’t buy he had no symptoms.

But I believe he CLAIMED he had no symptoms.

I think if a player has been knocked unconscious by a concussion – it should be mandatory to miss a game to protect them.

No option, no QB sweeps, no draws, nothing.

He was just scrambling outside the pocket, trying to keep a play alive in the red zone. Nothing any coaches can do to “put a stop” to that.

The man just has to throw that ball away. Has to. There was nothing there.

He’ll learn, or he’ll be in big trouble.

Glad to see we made such great strides in concussion awareness.

I have symptoms just from seeing it yesterday.