They can't afford to distribute practice reps as if the game won't matter. This whole discussion is elementary, without knowing the specific outcomes of the other games they can only prepare for the game to be important.
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This could’ve been said a lot this season for how injured and off he’s been, especially when they have fucking Chubb (and hunt?) But honestly he should sit, but if he did people would be screaming about his toughness or loyalty and some other junk, and that would be the narrative for him in a contract off season - “how committed to the game IS he?”
I mean, that's coming, cause he's not playing in the final week, that was already made clear earlier this week. He might even have surgery on his shoulder before the season officially closes, from what I read that's what they were considering.
I also totally understand why. Browns have nothing to play for. Bengals are already in the playoffs and are only fighting for playoff positioning, and have already said that Burrow and several others won't play. There's literally zero reason for Baker to tough it out any further.
I'm fascinated by the discussion around Kirk Cousins. Here are his stats this year: 66% completion, 3971 yards (he missed a game, otherwise would have been over 4000), 30 TDs, 7 ints. That's 260 yards, 2 tds, and just under half an interception per game. Justin Herbert is at 289 yards, 2.2 tds, and twice as many interceptions as Cousins. Herbert is viewed as an unquestioned star, and Cousins is considered a liability. QBR has him as 15th in the league.
I'm just wondering how teams can see a quarterback putting up those types of numbers and thinking, "we've got to get rid of this guy as soon as possible, maybe even take a cap hit to do it". That just seems wrong. Is that really where we are with quarterbacks in 2022 - if you're an efficient, slightly above average quarterback, you're a liability?
It also strikes me as a "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" situation. The odds of meaningfully upgrading on that are very low. Why not just ride out the contract? I'm not sure it's wrong either - the question is, "Can you win a title with a slightly above average QB"?
To me the answer is, maybe - here's the evidence:
2018 Eagles
2016 Broncos
2013 Ravens
2012 Giants
4 of the past 10 champs have had ok not great play from qb. The Vikings have consistently had an above average offense and defensive performance tends to be volatile - they are two years removed from having a top 5 defense, but have been bad each of the past two years. If I'm them, I try to fix the D and keep riding it out with Cousins.
Last edited by Coniferous; 2022-01-07 at 05:57 AM.
Superbowl or bust.
Also, now do those numbers and add how much they are making while doing it, then add how many more players the Chargers can sign with the money they are NOT spending on QBs. That difference is very real. It's why most teams that do not have Tom Brady have succeeded in the past 10-15 years.
It is the contract, which raises the question of why every decent qb gets a huge deal, then teams get upset when they're not worth it. But on the other side, it can work - the 2016 Broncos and 2012 Giants won with a high priced mediocre qb. The 2013 Ravens and 2018 Eagles won with low priced mediocre qbs. I find it hard to believe that the Vikings' chances will improve if they blow it up and start over. What are the odds of finding a top 15 qb in the first round - 20%? Cousins has a few more good years left.
Last edited by Coniferous; 2022-01-07 at 06:08 AM.
I don't know, you can't just look at box scores like that. He looks good there, and maybe he is good in fantasy, but there are other things that matter a lot. QBR at 15 just isn't very good. Cousins also notoriously chokes in prime time games. He gets rattled easily. He is surrounded by one of the best WRs in the league and two really good RBs, one being probably top 3 in the league. He lacks charisma, isn't showy,
Also without spending too much time on it, compared with Herbert... well one of those players is in his what, second year? Thats why people are excited about him, and people genuinely seem to like him. You'd probably need to compare their SoS and the defenses they played as well. Looking at just the Vikings, they lost to everyone with a winning record(except the Chargers), the Lions, and the Browns. QBs get a lot of the blame/praise when it comes to wins and losses.
On the other hand, LAC has beat the Chiefs, Raiders, Browns, Eagles, Bengals. Again, wins and losses weigh heavily on QBs, and Herbert is new and Cousins is not.
Cousins is just an average QB. Hes in that big blob of QBs that could all switch teams and no one would notice a difference in that team's offense. QB doesn't make anywhere near as much of a difference as some people try to them it out to be as long as they aren't bad. Good play calling and o-line play make a massive amount of difference in comparison.
Just as an example, if you put any QB on the Giants/Broncos/Bears/etc right now, they would look bad. If you put Mitch Trubisky (since everyone knows how bad Nagy is now) on the Ravens/Bucs/Cowboys/Rams, etc he would probably be getting a ton of praise.
3 of those 4 teams got exceptional play from their QB in the postseason, and I don't see any reason to "otherwise" Cousins missing a game when he missed it for being an unvaccinated asshole.
Cousins is nothing special, perception of him probably isn't helped by his atrocious MNF record either since that is when most people have seen him.
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Anyone that watched the Vikes this year knows Kirk Cousins wasn't THE problem in Minnesota's offense. He wasn't even A problem.
The only reason to get rid of Cousins is to clear up cap space. The hope would be that you can get a QB that's either an immediate upgrade or one that has more upside. Before anyone insists that this is possible, ask how that sentiment worked out for Washington.
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Baker has gotten a lot of shit this year from Teammates, fans, and the entire Browns organization. I'm surprised he didn't opt for surgery earlier. Dude sacrificed his health for an organization that probably won't stick with him beyond 2022-2023 season.
Cousins has never been THE problem for the Vikings. For a while it was Cook's injuries, then it was their Defensive Regression, people just want to lay it on Cousins because he's always talked bigger than he plays even going back to his time in Washington (see: "YOU LIKE THAT").
FFXIV - Maduin (Dynamis DC)
And his organization SHOULDN'T stick with him beyond 2022-2023 and should try to get rid of him before that if they can. Sacrificing his health and playing hurt is what many football players do it does not earn him a special badge and a new 5 year contract. His play has been bad when healthy and hurt. Period.
I don't know if a team infamous for QB instability should give up on him just yet. Not unless they have a viable alternative and Cleveland definitely doesn't.
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