Holy shit what a garbage play calling sequence with the game on the line
Two 2 yard passes?
Two 2 yard passes?
Is Canada in Minnesota ?
- Thread starter PittPharm2002
- Start date
Kirk Cousins is the most over paid, over rated QB in the NFL. The guy puts up stats, but in big games comes up on the losing end. The last 2 drives he completed 4 passes for 2-3 yards each. People will look at 31-38 and say he had a good game, but watching it you see a different story.
I give the guy credit for putting up enough numbers to work the system and get paid. The guy is getting a guaranteed $35 mil next year too.
I give the guy credit for putting up enough numbers to work the system and get paid. The guy is getting a guaranteed $35 mil next year too.
No way of knowing that but I’m pretty sure no OC wanted to see a 3 yard throw to a well covered TE. The coverage should have been obvious pre-snap, and Cousins should have been able to check out of the play. If in fact Hockenson on the 3 yard flat route was the #1 option it’s incumbent on the QB to look elsewhere as soon as you see he had a defender on his back. But that being the do or die 4th down play, I sincerely doubt the play called for the # 1 route option to be 5 yards short of the sticks.
Defense was well disguised and Cousins didn't get a good read. Need to run motion or something because it looked like a zone but ended up being man. I think they wanted to drag the TE into the middle but the RB got hung up and the Safety didn't clear out until late. TE read the safety and broke it outside. The pressure forced an earlier throw. Another second and the WR streaking in behind was open.
I went and watched O’Connell’s postgame presser. They had 3 verticals on and the primary was to be one of those. There was never any intention with the play called to throw anything short of the sticks. O’Connell tried to be protective of Cousins in his statement but he was clear that he expected the pass to go to one of the vertical routes. I’d have to watch the play again but I don’t remember Cousins being under any serious pressure on that play. Looks like a straight up choke/panic job where he didn’t see an open vertical man immediately so he went to the safety valve way too quick and without recognizing the futility of doing so. The Vikes fans are not happy with him right now, and for good reason.
here is the definitive word:
Cousins explained what he saw on the play:
“Just a shell read there, saw single high, tried to work Justin, didn't feel good about putting it up to Justin, and when I went to progress I just felt like I was about to get sacked and I felt like I've got to put the ball in play, and I can't go down with sack, so I thought I'd kick it out to T.J.,” Cousins said. “I had thrown short of the sticks on a few occasions in the game and even going back a few weeks and just felt like just throwing it short of the sticks isn't the end of the world. It's just obviously tight coverage, so didn't have the chance to pull away. But I just felt like I was going to go down and take a sack if I didn't put it out.”
O’Connell said that the checkdown to Hockenson was not the idea of the play and that the “primary concept” was not to throw short of the sticks on fourth down. He took responsibility for not making it more clear to his QB where he thought the ball should be thrown.
“The intent as a playcaller is you’re not going to call a primary concept where somebody is short of the sticks to gain, especially on fourth down,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said after the fact.
Looking back and re-watching the play that was called, the play caller is not off the hook either. All 3 of those vertical routes were too long developing give the game situation. Cousins' eyes were immediately downfield after the snap of the ball but only for a split second before he went to Hockenson, not enough time for the vertical routes to produce separation. He had good protection and a nice posket but never moved his feet. Clearly he panicked. The knock on him was always that he can;t step up and dleiver when it really matters. He solidified his rep on that play.
