ASHBURN, Va. -- After one game in particular, there was no doubt the answer to a question quarterback Kirk Cousins shouted in the hallways: Yes, the Washington Redskins liked that. It was hard not to like, after all.
But what about Cousins’ other nine games? The goal for the Redskins this season, in part, is determining whether he can be the quarterback of the future. So through 10 games, let’s take a look at Cousins’ season to see, well, how much we liked each game:
The skinny: Cousins completed 21 of 31 passes for 196 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions as the Redskins lost 17-10. At the time, the Dolphins were considered a strong playoff contender. Looks different now.
You like that? No, not a lot. Of the two interceptions, one was the result of a fantastic effort by the defensive back, but there were other sloppy plays -- the other pick came in part because Cousins didn't see the defender.
The skinny: Cousins completed 23 of 27 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown in a 24-10 win.
You like that? Yeah. Cousins, when he’s at his best, is very efficient, and that was evident in this victory. Cousins kept the Redskins out of bad situations and was excellent on third down (9-of-11; six first downs). Overall, his decision-making was excellent.
The skinny: Cousins completed 30 of 49 passes for 316 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 32-21 loss.
You like that? No. It wasn’t just the interceptions -- one stemmed from a bad decision; another from a situation that could have been handled a little better by Cousins and others. But his accuracy was off throughout the game on intermediate passes, a concerning sight.
The skinny: Cousins completed 31 of 46 passes for 290 yards and a touchdown as the Redskins won 23-20.
You like that? Yes. Cousins showed he could lead a team late, marching the Redskins to the winning touchdown on an 18-play, 90-yard drive. The stud of the drive was receiver Pierre Garcon, who made two catches as he was hammered. But Cousins was 6-of-10 for 44 yards and a touchdown on that series. He operated like a poised veteran.
The skinny: Cousins completed 21 of 32 passes for 219 yards one touchdown and two interceptions in a 25-19 overtime defeat.
You like that? No. One of the interceptions resulted from a bad throw; the other from a tough break. Receiver Ryan Grant fell on a route in overtime, leading to a pick-six. But the situation before the throw could have been handled differently by Cousins as well. Cousins played an excellent fourth quarter in leading a game-tying drive in the final minute. He completed 10 consecutive throws before the final one.
The skinny: Cousins completed 25 of 43 passes for 196 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 34-20 loss.
You like that? No. The Redskins were in trouble before this game anyway -- left tackle Trent Williams, tight end Jordan Reed and receiver DeSean Jackson didn’t play. But Cousins compounded the issue with another off-target throwing game. He made arguably his worst throw of the season, a pass to the left flat where he didn’t see Darrelle Revis, setting up an easy touchdown.
The skinny: Cousins completed 33 of 40 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-30 victory.
You like that? Yes. The Redskins rallied from a 24-0 deficit -- the best comeback in franchise history -- thanks in part to Cousins’ arm. He led an 11-play drive to win in the final minute, connecting with Reed for the winning score. Again: poise, efficiency.
The skinny: Cousins completed 22 of 40 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and an interception in a 27-10 win.
You like that? Yes and no. His receivers dropped at least seven passes, one of which bounced off Garcon’s hands and was intercepted. Cousins could have challenged the Patriots a little more downfield. But overall he was accurate, so with a normal day from his receivers, Cousins would have had a good performance. Still, the bottom line was 10 points scored.
The skinny: Cousins completed 20 of 25 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns in a 47-14 win.
You like that? Of course. Cousins was content getting the ball to the playmakers underneath and letting them work. They did. There weren’t a lot of wow throws, but it was a smart game. Cousins did have a 42-yard throw to Jackson, but mostly it was short passes for long gains.
The skinny: Cousins completed 22 of 30 passes for 204 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also fumbled twice.
You like that? No. The interception was a killer, setting up an early touchdown. He was mostly accurate and no other throw was in danger of being picked. However, the fumbles added to the misery; on one, he was getting ready to throw the ball and was stripped. On the other fumble, it appears better awareness would have helped him avoid danger.