Extend Cousins or ... ?

I get that and everyone is allowed their own opinion. My point is though that many people get called haters because they tend to have more negative opinions about keeping Cousins and I don't think they share that sentiment at all. I don't think you necessarily had intent to come off that way but it just happens so often throughout this thread. That's what is so different about the Kirk discussions to me and leads them to be more hostile in the end is people getting a bit frustrated with some sort of misrepresentation of their actual beliefs.



I am not sure, everyone probably has their own opinion on that. I would say if we were doing that and said QB wasn't clearly choking hard every NFC championship game it would be much much harder to call it a failure.

I just am pointing out that what he said doesn't necessarily mean winning SB's. It could easily be misrepresenting the actual point just narrowing it down to that.

Matthew Stafford got traded and won the super bowl right away, they were 15th in ppg allowed yet Cousins couldn't even win 2 playoff games in 2 years with top 10? Anyone can just rattle off examples that would seemingly prove a basic point without full context. Not everything needs to be narrowed down into winning a SB or not. A SB would absolutely change perspectives but not winning one is not the only issues people have with Cousins at all, there is so much more than that. Contract. Age. Decision making. Pocket presence/awareness/mobility. Sometimes panicking in pressure situations (last year being an obvious outlier to this one and it got him more praise). 

I know it isn't all about one year and get it done. Defense matters. The entire team matters. Everyone posting here likely knows these things you always harp on as if it changes anything. However Kirk himself was a major issue in the game after the one playoff win we had, that matters. There are individual aspects to what people are saying about Kirk that separate him from other QB's like Brady, Rodgers, Montana etc. also playing a part in how people feel.

You keep jumping to things like Kirk sucks but can't ever actually show examples of who you are responding to or talking about (despite claiming it was everywhere then finding none after apparently 16 pages). Let alone the idiot part. I honestly don't know about how the TOP thing started at all tbh. Yes some do think he panics and others think we were lucky last year and so on. So? Most outside this fan base do too. Also just because people post about Cousins (even if negatively) and not the defense in a Kirk Cousins thread does not mean they don't think it matters...

Look I actually think Cousins was great last year, it was probably the first year here I think he lived up to his contract with his level of play. We were lucky and he was part of that but he came up big in key situations a lot last season. You want to know what else happened last season? His Completion %,TD, Yards/Attempt, and QB rating were down (QBR tied) while interceptions increased compared to the year prior. The team defense went from 24th to 28th in terms of ppg against (same amount given up per game each year). It's because situational football matters so much in the game of football and context really matters when talking stats. He played very good in key moments last year and we won games, he deserves props for that. The individual aspect of playing very good in key moments missing from Cousins outside of last season is why many think he is more just in the above average range as opposed to top 10 or higher (last year he was top 10 though imo). It doesn't just boil down to not winning super bowls or team wins. However last season was a perfect example of why people do see a connection between winning and QB play in clutch situations (even if stats aren't as good). That doesn't mean that it's all on the QB or anything like that but even with a really bad defense great QB play can lead to wins via clutch performances. 

It's not about Cousins sucks and Cousins not winning the SB is far from the only issue. It's about everything mentioned above and the full context of what has played out since he got here. Where this team is at now in terms of cap and potentially needing a bit of a rebuild. His contract compared to the level of play. It's not that defense doesn't matter or people don't realize that as you have been told. It's that in terms of how Cousins is viewed, all of the other context is also considered. It's not just SB's or not and how defenses played or anything like that. There is a reason the overall view of him differs greatly from some Vikings fans (those that would largely see him in primetime type games). Overall it isn't that his play has sucked for us, it's that he was brought in and paid for a bit more in big moments to help this team. He is a pretty good QB and even great if everything around him stays clean. Given our history he is up near the top for QB position even. It's simply time to move on for various reasons outside of just his level of play anyways now. 

I definitely have my gripes about Kirk awareness in the clutch. But regardless every Sunday I cheer like crazy for him. As long as you wearing purple I roll with you.

Kirk can slang the ball and lesser QBs have won it. But are they lesser? Because I base greatness on in the clutch. I just wish Kirk would prove me wrong I really do. But does he fit our time horizons? We not ready right now? He missed the boat likely, I wish he would get mad Kirk play good mad. I wish he played like that “You like that” all the time but he never does in the winning time late.

Now we will take it but Rudy pushed off even in that 2019 playoff win dude had a clear pick if not. He has to change the narrative but he running out of time.

Add in the contract stuff, too.

I think a popular narrative is that you need a quarterback on a rookie contract (unless you have a Mahomes or Brady). So, unless a guy is truly elite, move onto the next guy and save the money? That's kind of what I'm gathering anyway. I agree that quarterback contracts are killing teams, because too many of the "above average" quarterbacks get outrageous extensions these days. Why? Well, because it's freaking hard to replace them, and NFL teams know it!

As I said earlier, we all want Mahomes. We do. But rather than focusing so much on, "getting a guy to beat Mahomes" the focus should actually be forming a team to beat Mahomes. 

I understand that Kirk is getting old, but if he was younger? It's hard to walk away from quarterbacks of his caliber because they're not easily replaced. In recent years, I've heard a lot about college football failing to develop enough good offensive linemen anymore. What about good quarterbacks? Duds left and right. lol. But, no, you can't throw away young "above average" quarterbacks in this league, because you don't know the next time you'll get one! That isn't to say you don't look and take a few shots at hidden gems, but giving up on a guy who at least gives you a chance is ... hard. 

I don't agree with all of the crazy contracts, but that's the new reality. I hate it as much as anyone, but there is a way to navigate a second quarterback contract and building a good team. We failed, but that doesn't mean it's impossible or should be frowned upon. The other 31 teams have to find what works for them. It won't be Mahomes, so forget that. Build a good team and give yourself a chance. Let the chips fall where they may. We did that; it didn't work out, but I don't disagree with the thinking that led us here. 

Yes, the window is closing for Cousins and our Vikes, but I agree that Cousins is a guy who could get it done. Put him on the Niners or Eagles, and the narrative changes a bit. Good coaching, trenches, and rosters will generally do that for ya, though. 

I see it from this perspective. Yes the team around Kirk hasn't always been ideal. The 2018 team was very talented on both sides of the ball but every year after the talent regressed and our drafts from 2016-2020 did very little to help the situation. Additionally some of the contracts given out after Kirk such as Barr, Michael Pierce were expensive and unnecessary

With all that said Kirk also hasn't been good enough and his contract hasn't allowed the team to sign actual impact players who could have helped the past few years. Anyone remember our interest in Joe Thuney? How about Trey Hendrickson? We had legit interest in both players entering free agency but couldn't compete financially with teams that were still paying their QBs on their rookie deals. Everything hasn't been Kirks fault but he's in his age 35 season so to go back to the original question I say no. Don't extend Kirk because as great as QB "stability" is it doesn't matter if you don't have the financial stability to improve your roster. Obviously if you hit on every draft pick then you don't need free agency but that just isn't realistic

Which is exactly what he did in week 17 of the 2016 season, at home, playoffs on the line, against the Giants - who had already been eliminated from contention.

These are not aberrations. Cousins is who he has always been.

Of course one can not have a reasonable dialogue with you unless that person agrees with you.  That aside, there is always an excuse for Kirk.   Never mind the fact that the D in 2018 was ranked 4th out of 32 NFL teams and now you introduce "different players/coaches".  You just can't make this stuff up.  Just for the record, not one year in Tom Brady's career did his teams have the exact same players and coaches on the staff.