Every NFL Team's Biggest Issue at Season's Halfway Mark
This one is kind of self-explanatory: a total of 32 teams and a minimum of 32 problems.
In all seriousness, we are taking the time to point out each NFL club’s biggest shortcoming to date. Some teams certainly have more than others, while other clubs seemingly have none. But we took a closer look, and regardless of the fact that four teams haven’t lost a game yet, each club has at least something it needs to work on.
While some team's problems may be minor instead of major, and other clubs seem to be improving their biggest issues, we must keep in mind that no matter how good any team looks, there's always something to work on.
Arizona Cardinals: Tight End
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Are we nitpicking a team that ranks second in the league in points per game?
Perhaps. But the rules say that we need to point out every team’s biggest issue this season to date, and when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals, they haven’t gotten a ton from the tight end position. Of course, that may be about to change.
To date, the trio of Jermaine Gresham (11), Darren Fells (nine) and Troy Niklas (three) has combined for 23 catches, good for 303 yards and four touchdowns. Niklas’ two scores came in the team’s 34-20 win at Cleveland last week, while Fells has been inactive the last two games. Gresham has yet to find the end zone this season, and his reception total is just fifth on the club.
This is a team that entered Week 9 ranked in the top 10 in both total offense and total defense, rushing yards and fewest rushing yards allowed and passing and fewest passing yards surrendered. Only the Patriots averaged more points per game, while Bruce Arians’ squad ranked ninth in fewest points per game allowed.
Yep, we do sound a little nitpicky.
Atlanta Falcons: Pass Rush
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There’s little doubt that the Atlanta Falcons, under the guidance of new head coach Dan Quinn, are one of the most improved teams in the league.
But the defense’s ability to get to opposing quarterbacks remains a major problem.
Last season, the Falcons totaled a mere 22 sacks, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL and just as many as Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston tallied all by himself. This season, Quinn’s club has only 10 sacks in eight games and has been limited to two or fewer sacks in each contest this season.
The good news is that defense has allowed the third-fewest rushing yards per game in the league. That’s a part of the Falcons that had been an issue in recent years. Now all Quinn and Co. need to do is to find someone a little more reliable (Vic Beasley, Adrian Clayborn and O’Brien Schofield are tied for the team lead with two sacks apiece) to bring the heat.
Baltimore Ravens: Secondary
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Last season, due to a number of factors, we saw the Baltimore Ravens defense get exploited through the air on too many occasions.
There was those six touchdown passes on a Sunday night in Pittsburgh by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. There was the 35-31 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round as John Harbaugh’s club squandered a pair of 14-point leads.
This season, regardless of the reasons, pass defense has been the issue once again. Despite a respectable total of 21 sacks in eight games, only two teams in the NFL have allowed more passing yards per game than Baltimore this season. The Ravens have allowed 16 scores through the air while picking off only three passes. In fact, Harbaugh’s squad has totaled just four takeaways during its disappointing 2-6 start.
The Ravens are off this week and have a little extra time to rectify things in this department.
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Buffalo Bills: Consistency
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It seemed like a match made in heaven. But when it comes to this season’s Buffalo Bills, we’re having a hell of a time figuring the team out.
Rex Ryan’s team opened the year in impressive fashion by squashing the Indianapolis Colts at Orchard Park. The defense was imposing that day, and given what we had seen from this unit the previous two seasons, the Bills figured to be a major force in 2015.
But then came a 40-32 loss at home in which the Patriots shredded the Bills defense for 507 total yards, most of that via Tom Brady (466 yards and three touchdown passes). The team bounced back with a 41-14 win at Miami but returned home and fell to the Giants 24-10.
You’re getting the picture. Buffalo owns a 3-4 record after seven games, outscoring its victims by a combined 82-41 in the three victories while allowing a whopping 132 points in the four setbacks.
You explain it. There’s a lot of talent on this squad, especially on defense. But a team that totaled a combined 111 sacks the previous two seasons prior to Ryan’s arrival this year has a mere 11 sacks in seven games in 2015.
Carolina Panthers: Wide Receiver
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Through no fault of their own, the Carolina Panthers still appeared short-handed at wide receiver. But don’t feel too sorry for the lone 7-0 team in the NFC.
Sure, the loss of Kelvin Benjamin for the season before 2015 really began in earnest was a big blow. Fortunately, the return of Ted Ginn to the club following a year with the Arizona Cardinals has proved to be fortuitous. His 20 receptions for 343 yards and three touchdowns rank second on the team behind reliable tight end Greg Olsen in all three of those categories.
Wide receivers Corey Brown and Jerricho Cotchery have also found the end zone this season, but Carolina’s wideouts have combined for only six touchdown receptions in seven games.
Fortunately, armed with the league’s top-ranked ground attack, Olsen and other weapons such as fullback Mike Tolbert, quarterback Cam Newton has found there are numerous ways to skin a cat. Or in this instance, it’s the unbeaten Panthers who have been doing the skinning.
Chicago Bears: Defense
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There’s little doubt that over the last month or so the Chicago Bears are playing much better football in nearly every aspect. But in this first season of the 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, there’s still plenty of work to do.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that the Bears rank ninth in the league in fewest yards allowed per game. Don’t be deceived that only three teams in the NFL have surrendered fewer yards per game through the air. Fangio’s unit is permitting 128 yards per game on the ground. Chicago has totaled only 12 sacks and eight takeaways in seven contests, and despite the numbers in terms of pass defense, this team has allowed 16 scores while picking off only four passes.
The defense is a work in progress indeed. But kudos to head coach John Fox and his staff, as the Bears are a lot more competitive these days after their dismal 0-3 start.
Cincinnati Bengals: Run Defense
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The numbers may not indicate so, but the Cincinnati Bengals own a much better defense than they did a year ago.
With former Pro Bowler Geno Atkins looking like a future Pro Bowler and defensive end Carlos Dunlap leading the way with 8.5 sacks, the 8-0 Bengals are allowing only 17.8 points per game.
In the team’s 31-10 Thursday night conquest of the Cleveland Browns, Atkins and his teammates limited their divisional foe to a mere 69 yards rushing. However, the Bengals are allowing 105 rushing yards per game so far. That's far from awful, but we have seen this aggressive front four get burned for a few big plays on the ground.
Of course, the good news is that Cincinnati has already totaled 23 sacks this season. That number already betters the team's 2014 showing of 20 sacks, the worst mark in the league a year ago. In their rush to get to the quarterback, the Bengals have been burned a few times, but you can’t fault a team too much for being aggressive, can you?
We’ll see if Marvin Lewis and his staff can clean this shortcoming up a bit as the season continues.
Cleveland Browns: Running Game
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On Thursday night at Cincinnati, the Cleveland Browns entered the game with the 31st-ranked rushing attack in the league, as well as the worst run defense in the NFL.
And the Browns certainly lived down to the billing in a 31-10 loss to the Bengals. Cleveland ran for 69 yards on the night, while Cincinnati more than doubled that total (152).
One year ago, Mike Pettine’s club allowed the most rushing yards in the league, and unfortunately this unit, even with the addition of first-round pick Danny Shelton up front, has picked up where it left off.
However, it’s the lack of a consistent ground attack that has hurt the club on both sides of the ball. Cleveland’s season high in terms of rushing is just 119 yards.
To make matters slightly worse, running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson have combined for three touchdown receptions, while the team has rushed for only two scores in nine games—one of those by quarterback Josh McCown.
Dallas Cowboys: Quarterback
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If Tony Romo was upright and back in the starting lineup, the quarterback position would not be an issue for the Dallas Cowboys.
As it stands at the moment, Romo is practicing with the team, but don’t assume too much, according to head Jason Garrett, via DallasCowboys.com:
"Again, it’s a process of the bone healing. That just simply takes time. We allocated that amount of time because that’s what was prescribed for him to heal coming back from that injury. All signs have been that he’s handled everything up to that point well. He had a good day (Wednesday). We just keep taking this situation day by day.
"
In his absence, Cowboys backup quarterback Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel have teamed up for three touchdown passes and five interceptions. They have been sacked a combined 10 times, while Dallas has dropped five straight games.
The sooner, the better when it comes to Romo's return.
Denver Broncos: Offense
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You don’t think we have any problems with anything the Denver Broncos are doing on the defensive side of the football?
In the magnificent performance Sunday night at home against the Green Bay Packers in which quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 340 yards and the Denver attack rolled up 500 yards by evening’s end, Gary Kubiak’s club scored a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time all season.
It’s no secret that the Broncos defense has been carrying the load these days.
And while it may be a little harsh to criticize the entire Denver offense, it should be noted that this unit failed to score a touchdown in two games this season—and yet the team still managed to pull out wins.
And perhaps arguably the team’s biggest offseason issue, the offensive line, has started to come together. In the last two outings, the Broncos have rushed for 150-plus yards and allowed just one sack in each contest.
Has the Denver offense turned the corner? We aren’t totally convinced just yet.
Detroit Lions: Running Game
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After a 45-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in London, the Detroit Lions have been less-than-jolly as of late.
The team’s issues are multifaceted, but perhaps the offense and in particular the ground attack are lacking.
One year after ranking 28th in the NFL in rushing, no team in the league is averaging fewer yards per game on the ground than Jim Caldwell’s club. The Lions have run for a paltry 69.6 yards per game in 2015, and it would be a lot worse if they hadn’t rushed for 155 yards against the Bears in Week 6, the team’s lone victory this season.
Rookie Ameer Abdullah actually leads the club with 225 yards rushing on 63 carries. But no other player on the team has reached the 100-yard mark on the ground this season to date.
And you thought the Detroit defense was having its issues?
Green Bay Packers: Run Defense
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Relax. We never considered putting quarterback Aaron Rodgers in this piece.
Yes, the Green Bay Packers were flattened in the Mile High City on Sunday night, as the Broncos outscored Rodgers and his teammates by 19 points and outgained them by 360 total yards (500-140).
Although the headlines were all about Rodgers and his 77 yards passing in the game, Packers’ defenders were pushed around by the Denver running game to the tune of 160 yards.
Not only have just six teams in the league given up more yards rushing than Mike McCarthy’s squad, but Green Bay’s defense has allowed 160-plus yards on the ground three times in seven games this year.
And guess which team leads the league in rushing after eight weeks? That would be the Carolina Panthers, the Packers’ opponent this Sunday.
Houston Texans: Quarterback
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OK, whose turn is it now?
In a season in which the Houston Texans have started two quarterbacks in the form of both Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett, the answer is quite clear. The team released Mallett in late October after he missed the team plane to Miami for a game with the Dolphins. Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com summed up the details when it came to that decision.
As you will recall, the Texans trailed 41-0 in that contest before falling 44-26, so add your own comment when it comes to missing the flight.
That means it’s up to Hoyer, although the club did bring back T.J. Yates to back up the well-traveled signal-caller. While Hoyer has thrown 13 touchdown passes compared to only three interceptions in six games this season, he and Mallett were in and out of the lineup earlier in the season due to both players' uneven performances.
We will wait an extra week to see what Hoyer brings to the table when the Texans head to Cincinnati on November 16.
Indianapolis Colts: Defense
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It would somewhat ironic if the Indianapolis Colts still played in the RCA Dome. Because discussing the team’s biggest shortcoming is like listening to a broken record.
Yes, quarterback Andrew Luck continues to be bitten by the turnover bug, and veteran offseason additions such as running back Frank Gore and especially wide receiver Andre Johnson have not made the impact that some expected.
Count outside linebacker Trent Cole among those who haven’t done a lot for a team that is tied for first place in the division with a 3-5 record. The former Philadelphia Eagles defender totaled 85.5 sacks in 10 seasons with that club but has zero sacks with his newest employer.
Of course, he’s far from the only issue when it comes to the Colts defense. Chuck Pagano’s squad is ranked 29th in the league in total yards per game allowed, and only four teams in the NFL are surrendering more rushing yards and more passing yards per contest. Combine that with 19 turnovers by your own club, and it spells a major headache.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Tight End
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The Jacksonville Jaguars have had two weeks to savor a victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Although the team still owns a disappointing 2-5 record, second-year quarterback Blake Bortles has certainly progressed from a year ago. The talented signal-caller has thrown nearly twice as many touchdown passes (15) as interceptions (eight) this season.
But all but two of those scores have gone to wide receivers and running backs. The team signed former Denver Broncos Pro Bowler Julius Thomas to big bucks this offseason, but injuries have been a factor. Now he’s finally in the lineup, catching 10 passes for 102 yards and one touchdown this season. All told, Thomas, Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor have combined for 25 catches and two scores.
With Thomas healthy, perhaps things are getting ready to change. It would make an improving Jacksonville offense much more formidable.
Kansas City Chiefs: Wide Receiver
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OK, things aren’t as dreadful as they were a year ago when it came to the Kansas City Chiefs and that little issue of Alex Smith not throwing a touchdown pass to a wide receiver in 2014.
Yes, the often-maligned quarterback has gotten that little monkey off his back this season. But that doesn’t mean all is well when it comes to the wideout position.
True, free-agent pickup Jeremy Maclin leads the team with 42 receptions, good for 566 yards and two scores. Quarterback Alex Smith has thrown nine touchdown passes this season, and five have actually gone to wideouts, including De’Anthony Thomas, Albert Wilson and rookie Chris Conley.
Still, despite the fact that Andy Reid’s team is playing better football these days following a 1-5 start, it doesn’t mean that the Chiefs aren’t still lacking in talent at wideout.
Miami Dolphins: Pass Rush
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It’s already been quite a year for the Miami Dolphins defense, and the team hasn’t even played eight games yet.
Consider that Miami defenders were pushed around in the first four games. They struggled against the run and totaled one single sack in those contests. Enter new head coach Dan Campbell, who promoted defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo to defensive coordinator. In their next two games, the Dolphins racked up a combined 10 sacks, six of those courtesy of defensive end Cameron Wake.
In last week’s 36-7 Thursday night loss to the New England Patriots, Wake got his seventh sack in three games. But he also went down with an Achilles injury and is lost for the season. Miami now has 13 sacks in seven games, and Wake has more than half of them.
Who will step up in his absence?
Minnesota Vikings: Passing Game
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At 5-2, the Minnesota Vikings are just one game behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North and are riding a three-game winning streak.
While their defense is one of the up-and-coming units in the league, only three teams are averaging fewer total yards per game. The Purple Gang is ranked 30th in the NFL in passing.
Second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has thrown for just six scores while committing seven turnovers. Wide receivers Mike Wallace (26) and rookie Stefon Diggs (25) have combined for 51 catches but only three touchdowns.
Going forward, Minnesota’s offense will need to be a little more balanced if the Vikings intend to stay in the postseason chase.
New England Patriots: Offensive Line
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It’s been less about performance and more about health when it comes to the New England Patriots offensive line.
Somehow, this team (and that somehow is head coach Bill Belichick) manages to get the job done, despite season-ending losses (tackle Nate Solder) and extended absences due to injury (center Bryan Stork).
The shuffling that the team has had to do up front all season has not resulted in a fall-off in performance, although quarterback Tom Brady has been sacked 18 times in seven games. Of course, he and the Patriots have been victorious in all seven outings.
Some will point to the team’s 30th-ranked ground game, but that has often been by design this season thanks to the play-calling and game plan of both Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
If you had to focus on one issue for the 7-0 Patriots, it has to be the offensive front. But don’t spend too much time dwelling on it.
New Orleans Saints: Defense
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Need we say more?
Granted, the New Orleans Saints own a 4-4 record following a 1-4 start. But if you are looking for kudos when it comes to their defense, you may want to look elsewhere.
One year after giving up the second-most total yards in the league, this team once again ranks 31st in the NFL in total defense. The Saint have already surrendered 27 offensive touchdowns in eight games, and despite a pass rush that has totaled 19 sacks, New Orleans defenders have allowed 20 scoring passes.
Add in the fact that Rob Ryan’s unit is giving up 123.9 yards per game on the ground, and Brees may have to throw seven touchdown passes every week if the Saints continue to play porous defense.
New York Giants: Pass Rush
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It wasn’t that long ago that the likes of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck were terrorizing quarterbacks for Tom Coughlin’s New York Giants.
Now these same Giants are giving up 52 points and seven touchdown passes in one game. Last week, Coughlin’s club fell to the New Orleans Saints and quarterback Drew Brees, 52-49.
This season, the Giants have actually come away with 18 takeaways. But they have also given up 17 scores through the air while producing a mere nine sacks in eight games. That won’t get it done if the team has serious plans of winning the NFC East.
New York Jets: Tight End
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The New York Jets were having a good offseason this year until July rolled around.
Then came quarterback Geno Smith’s run-in with a teammate’s fist and defensive lineman’s Sheldon Richardson’s run-in with the law.
But something else happened that while not as publicized actually led to a player being out for the entire season. Second-year tight end Jace Amaro, who finished tied for second on the team in 2014 with 38 catches, suffered a torn labrum in late August and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
This season, Jeff Cumberland and Kellen Davis have combined for five catches, 34 yards and one touchdown.
Oakland Raiders: Defense
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The Oakland Raiders have scored a combined 71 points in their last two games—conquests of the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets—and at 4-3 seem to be feeling good about themselves.
But Jack Del Rio’s team still has a lot of work to do if it is to post its first winning season since 2002. A year ago, the defense managed only 22 sacks while forcing only 14 turnovers.
This season, things appear to be better when it comes to those vital statistics. Oakland has totaled 14 sacks in seven games, and thanks to free safety Charles Woodson’s league-leading five interceptions, Del Rio’s club has a dozen takeaways.
Yes, only the New York Jets have been harder to run on this season, but only the New York Giants have given up more passing yards per game. Over the rest of the year, we will see how far this Oakland defense has come.
Philadelphia Eagles: Quarterback
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We are well aware of the many changes Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly made on his team over the offseason.
One of his biggest moves was acquiring quarterback Sam Bradford from St. Louis in exchange in part for quarterback Nick Foles. Bradford entered the season having missed 25 straight games, including all of the 2014 season.
Apparently, he’s still a little rusty. During the team’s 3-4 start, he’s thrown nine touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. Bradford has been sacked 13 times and fortunately has lost only one of his four fumbles.
Is buyer’s (or trader’s) remorse beginning to set in?
Pittsburgh Steelers: Secondary
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One of the most improved units in the league this season regardless of the team may be the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But it’s still a defensive unit that can be exploited through the air, despite an improved pass rush that has totaled 22 sacks in eight games. Pittsburgh finished with 33 sacks in 2014.
Only six teams in the league are giving up more passing yards per game than the Steelers. Defensive coordinator Keith Butler’s unit has allowed 12 touchdown passes in eight contests, and while six of those have gone to opposing tight ends, this is still a Steelers secondary in transition.
But it’s worth noting that the transition seems to be going smoothly. This is a team that bears watching the last half of the season.
St. Louis Rams: Wide Receiver
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It’s safe to say that these are promising times in the Gateway City when it comes to football.
Yes, we are talking about the current product on the field. For instance, rookie running back Todd Gurley stuck his toe in the water in Week 3 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (six carries for nine yards) and ever since, he’s been virtually unstoppable.
Granted, Tavon Austin is looking more like a wide receiver these days and less like a very fast football player. He leads the team with 24 receptions and has been on the receiving end of four of quarterback Nick Foles’ seven touchdown passes.
Unfortunately for the team, Kenny Britt (12) and Stedman Bailey (10) have combined for only 22 catches. Yes, the Rams are suddenly 4-3 and looking like a much-improved team these days, but we are still waiting for more big plays from a wideout corps that remains an overall disappointment to date.
San Diego Chargers: Run Defense
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Scoring points this season has hardly been the problem for the San Diego Chargers. Stopping the other club from doing the same has been the main issue.
Arguably, the biggest reason that Mike McCoy’s club has dropped six of its first eight games has been the inability of defensive coordinator John Pagano’s unit to stop teams from controlling the football on the ground.
Only five teams in the NFL have allowed more yards per game on the ground. The Bolts have given up 130 or more yards rushing in five of their eight games, and the defense has already allowed eight scores on the ground.
This issue has had a trickle-down effect on the entire defense. The Chargers are allowing 28.5 points per game, and despite putting 20-plus points on the board in each of the last four games, McCoy’s club has lost each contest.
San Francisco 49ers: Quarterback
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The proof is in the pudding. And when it comes to the San Francisco 49ers and their quarterback situation, it will be interesting this week to see what a change behind center does.
This Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, backup Blaine Gabbert takes the field in place of Colin Kaepernick, who was benched by head coach Jim Tomsula after an eight-game start in which he’s thrown six touchdown passes, totaled five fumbles (losing one) and been sacked 28 times.
We haven’t seen Gabbert play this season, but he takes over an offense that has gained the fewest total yards per game in the league and also ranks 31st in the NFL in passing. San Francisco’s offensive unit has produced 10 touchdowns in eight contests.
“I felt like this was the direction we needed to go. In no way is 2-6 all on Colin Kaepernick,” said 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula earlier this week, as summed up by Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “That’s on all of us. This is a guy I think has talent…I just want him to step back, keep working.”
These days, not much is working when it comes to the Niners.
Seattle Seahawks: Offensive Line
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The good news last Sunday, besides the fact that the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Dallas Cowboys and evened their record to 4-4, was that quarterback Russell Wilson managed to avoid being sacked for the first time in a game all season.
Perhaps the better news will come in two weeks when Pete Carroll’s club returns to the field and faces the Arizona Cardinals and one of the better defensive units in the league. But the bottom line is that the Seahawks rank 26th in the league this season in passing because they can’t protect the quarterback.
Even with last Sunday’s success, Wilson has been sacked 31 times this season for 169 yards in losses. Seattle’s signal-caller has thrown only nine touchdown passes and has also committed eight turnovers. The fact that he ranks third on the team in rushing with 303 yards on 58 carries is as much about his running ability as the fact that he’s been forced to run for his life.
It’s safe to say that the Seahawks miss left guard James Carpenter and center Max Unger; Seattle dealt the latter to the Saints for Jimmy Graham, while Carpenter signed with the New York Jets this offseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defense
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Yes, things appear to be looking up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As we know, Lovie Smith’s improving club has already won one more game that it did all of last season and comes off a rousing 23-20 overtime victory at the Georgia Dome over the Atlanta Falcons. But there’s still plenty of work to do on both sides of the football, most notably when it comes to Tampa’s defense.
While the club ranks near the middle of the pack when it comes to total yards allowed, the Bucs have not only surrendered 22 offensive touchdowns in seven games (17 through the air) but have allowed 31 or more points in four of those contests.
The pass rush has been fairly productive with 17 sacks. But the fact remains that this club has allowed at least two touchdown passes in five of its seven games, including outings in which both Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota and Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles threw for four scores apiece.
Tennessee Titans: Running Game
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A mere 23 games added up to only three victories for Ken Whisenhunt in Tennessee. Now, it’s Mike Mularkey’s turn to see if he can get the Titans back to respectability.
One place the well-traveled coach may want to start is the backfield. Yes, this team is ranked a somewhat-respectable 19th in the NFL in rushing. But that figure is a bit deceptive considering the Titans have failed to rush for at least 100 yards in each of their last five outings. That's quite a fall-off for a club that totaled a combined 290 yards on the ground the first two weeks of the season.
As for Mularkey, he has seemingly already found what he feels is the team’s best option at running back going forward.
“I think Antonio (Andrews) is the workhorse as we speak right now,’’ said the new head coach to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com on Wednesday. “As you’ve seen, Dexter (McCluster) has had his carries as a changeup for us. Bishop (Sankey), again, I know he hasn’t had carries in the last couple of weeks, but we’re trying… But if we were going to force it, it would be to Antonio right now.”
Considering the Titans have averaged a mere 82.2 yards per game rushing in their last five contests, now would be a good time for Andrews to carry the load.
Washington Redskins: Quarterback
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It is almost a certainty that if Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins happens to see this piece and read the final slide, he won’t like it.
Yes, when last we saw Jay Gruden’s team and his fourth-year signal-caller, they were busy rallying for a 31-30 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after falling behind 24-0 in the second quarter.
On the season, Cousins has thrown nine touchdown passes but has committed an identical amount of turnovers, including eight interceptions. The young quarterback has thrown for at least one score in all seven games this year, but he’s also been picked off twice in four of those contests.
Yes, the Redskins are in the thick of the NFC East race (insert joke here). And if Cousins can play consistent football, it’s possible that Gruden’s club could walk away with a division title.
But that little word “if” looms large when it comes to the Redskins’ young and exuberant field general.
All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth-chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com. All player ratings courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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