Greg Cosell’s Look Ahead: Kirk Cousins executing at a high level
Over the last two months, Kirk Cousins has become a much more efficient quarterback for the Washington Redskins.
Cousins has orchestrated a well-designed pass game with quality weapons and every dimension once DeSean Jackson returned. Cousins is an aggressive thrower, and while that gets him in trouble at times, he has been more consistent with his decision making in recent weeks.
Last week against the Buffalo Bills, Cousins had another game in which he looked very sharp, physically and mentally.
On Washington’s first possession, the Redskins hit a nice play to Jackson. Jackson was split outside, the Bills ran man free lurk with safety Bacarri Rambo matched on tight end Jordan Reed and cornerback Ronald Darby on Jackson. Jackson ran a stutter-go route off an inside release, which created room on the outside for Cousins’ throw. It was a great route, and a great throw for 28 yards.
One thing about the Redskins’ offense, which is something to watch on Saturday night when the play at the Philadelphia Eagles, is that they take their shots with Jackson. They’ll attack vertically three or four times a game. Against the Bills they also had Jackson and Reed aligned on the same side of the formation often.
Reed caught an 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter against Buffalo. Pierre Garcon motioned from outside to a stacked release behind Reed. The route concept was Garcon attacking safety Corey Graham and Reed had an outside stem to widen and gain leverage on cornerback Leodis McKelvin. The motion, the stack release and the route concept broke down the “quarters” zone coverage.
The Redskins’ pass game is well designed with defined reads and throws for Cousins, and that play was a good example. Reed is also playing very well and Cousins is in rhythm with him. Cousins is 16 of 16 with three touchdowns when targeting Reed the past two weeks.
Here’s another well-designed play to break down coverage. The Bills were in “Cover 2” zone, and Garcon ran a 9-6 combination route with Jamison Crowder. Crowder ran the “9” (go) route, and Garcon ran a “6” (dig) route from the outside. Cousins made an excellent throw to Garcon for 18 yards on third-and-16.
Cousins’ play is a big reason Washington is in first place in the NFC East heading into a big game against the Eagles. He has really played well as the season has progressed.
Gabbert regressing
In Blaine Gabbert’s first three starts, there was a bit of a rhythm to the San Francisco 49ers’ pass offense. There has been no rhythm lately.
Even worse, Gabbert is now perceiving pressure and moving when he doesn’t have to. That has been an issue his whole career. Late in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals last week, Gabbert ran into a sack by Geno Atkins, after leaving the pocket when there was no pressure.
Gabbert is indecisive and tentative in the pocket. He’s not willing to turn it loose and make throws. With the season winding down, he’ll have to improve on those areas in which he has struggled lately.
Palmer continues to shine
There has been no better pocket quarterback in the NFL this season than Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals when you take into account all the factors, including the high level multiplicity of the Cardinals’ pass game and the emphasis on intermediate and vertical throws. He is the prototype pocket quarterback right now.
Here’s a play from last week that the Cardinals and Palmer made look easy. Tight end Daniel Fells gained 36 yards running a skinny post with cornerback Byron Maxwell having outside leverage, and Malcolm Jenkins as the single-high safety. The Eagles had an unblocked rusher on Palmer’s blind side, but he knows that five-step drop timing always beats an unblocked rusher. He just has to stand in and absorb the hit. Once Palmer is willing to do that, this is pitch and catch.
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NFL analyst and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell watches as much NFL game film as anyone. Throughout the season, Cosell will join Shutdown Corner to share his observations on the teams, schemes and personnel from around the league.
