Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports
No one predicted that Washington would have the success they are, which is not much, but more than their fans are used to. After winning seven games in the last two years, it looks like they be able to match that win total this season, or possibly exceed it. If anyone has been influential to their success it has to be quarterback Kirk Cousins. In a city that idolized and supported RG3, the backup to the seemingly irreplaceable quarterback is all that anyone can talk about and as much as we all hate to admit it, he deserves it.
Cousins has become the leader of the team because he has the stats to back it up. In his first year as Washington’s starting quarterback, Cousins has completed more than half of his passes, 268 completed of 392 attempted, thrown for 16 touchdowns versus ten interceptions and his QB rating this year has nearly doubled from 2013 where it was 58.4, now 91.7. In addition to all of that, Cousins has rushed for three touchdowns and has defeated both of the NFC East teams the team has faced. Washington takes on the Cowboys this Monday.
The game that really cemented Cousins as a true leader was his game against the New Orleans Saints. With a final score of 47-14 and Cousins being taken out for Colt McCoy, everyone really started to notice him. In addition to that, Cousins completed 20 of 25 passes, threw for 324 passing yards, held an 80 percent completion rate and threw four touchdowns to zero interceptions. After the game was really the moment that made Cousins’ night, he was able to give the game ball t to his father who attended his first game of the season due to a cancer diagnosis that has now been eliminated.
Even though Washington is ready to build shrines to Cousins and proclaim their quarterback over RG3 at least for the next few seasons, he has to prove that he is ready to lead Washington back to the playoffs.  If Cousins can’t do that, then it looks like he will join the long list of quarterbacks for Washington.  It will be interesting to see how the narrative of Kirk Cousins as Washington’s quarterback will work out for the rest of the season.
