Stats Show that Kirk Cousins Is Awesome
Every little movement gets tracked in the NFL nowadays. To be the all-time leader in any statistic is rare. Kirk Cousins is always mentioned as a quarterback with great stats, and he supposedly collects in meaningless times of games.
There is no statistical evidence that this is true.
However, stats record every play, not just the good ones, and it’s the same for all quarterbacks. Therefore, Cousins isn’t an outlier. His stats include the bad plays just like the stats of any other passer in the NFL, and they also include numbers achieved in meaningless times of games.
The stats are not perfect. They are an important part of the evaluation of players but don’t show the full picture. The stats of the Vikings quarterback are just as useful as the stats of any other quarterback and therefore valuable, especially compared to other players.
Cousins Best In the Business
Another common Cousins narrative is that he fails to ‘lead a team to a win.’ The following stat shows how marvelous his play is in wins, as it displays the players with the highest passer rating in NFL history in wins, with a minimum of 1000 attempts in such games.
- Kirk Cousins – 114.2
- Aaron Rodgers – 113.5
- Russell Wilson – 112.3
- Dak Prescott – 111.7
- Drew Brees – 110.5
- Kurt Warner – 108.9
- Philip Rivers – 108.6
No player in NFL history has a higher passer rating in wins than Cousins. This could mean he has to play extremely well to secure a win, more than other quarterbacks. Anyone who doesn’t think this list is relevant just has to look at the names on the list, as it’s filled with future Hall of Famers.
Is He Bad in Losses?
Most readers ask themselves now one question – does he plays badly in losses? The stat is interesting as well, especially for Vikings fans. Who has the highest passer rating in NFL history in games that result in losses? The requirements are once again 1000 passing attempts in such games.
- Aaron Rodgers – 87.7
- Matt Ryan – 85.41
- Kirk Cousins – 85.39
- Russell Wilson – 84.8
- Tony Romo – 83.8
- Drew Brees – 83.3
- Derek Carr – 83.1
The fact that Cousins is one of the best quarterbacks in losses raises some questions about the team around him. It looks like he has to play at an extremely high level to come away with a win, and even if he does play well, he often can’t get the win.
About Passer Rating
No stat is perfect, and passer rating is no exception. The metric has existed since 1973 and is not as accurate as some modern analytical numbers, for example, EPA/play. However, it’s still a good way to compare passing numbers of quarterbacks because better quarterbacks usually have a higher passer rating.
It takes into account touchdowns, completion percentage, interceptions, and passing yards, but there are some important numbers missing like sacks, fumbles, and the quarterback’s rushing production.
Another problem is that it’s not a good statistic to compare players from different eras, as the signal-callers are getting better and more efficient every year.
Despite all of those flaws, the metric still has some value.
Why Can’t Cousins Win the Losing Efforts?
The defensive production has to be evaluated here. Cousins’ teams allow an unusual amount of points per game, especially compared to another player featured high on the same two previously mentioned lists. Both entered the league in the same draft. Therefore, they have played in the same era, and the data is comparable — Russell Wilson.
Wilson’s Seahawks have allowed an average of 19.43 points per game in his career starts. Cousins’ teams, for comparison, have allowed 24.04 points per game.
In wins, Wilson had to outscore the opponent’s average score of 15.91. Cousins’ teams, meanwhile, allow in his wins an average of 18.64 points.
Now we’ll take a look at the points allowed in losing efforts. Wilson is once again in a better position, as his team has allowed an average of 26.58 points per game in losses. Cousins’ teams allow an average of 29.31 points per game in his career losses.
Cousins basically starts every game with a handicap of four points, which is a huge disadvantage for him and explains his .500 career record, compared to Wilson’s 0.661.
However, football is the ultimate team sport. The offense has an impact on the defense and the other way around. Cousins could help his defense more at times. The best example was the league-leading number of three and outs in 2021. Once again, that is not on the quarterback alone, but he deserves some blame. The play-caller and the teammates play a significant role in that as well.
Vikings Take Requisite Steps
Overall it has to be said that Cousins plays at a high level but can still improve in some areas that can lead to a better chance at winning games. If the 52 players around him and the coaches can do the same thing, it will be a fun 2022 season.
The front office took the necessary steps for that. A lot of resources in the offseason were put into the defense. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah brought in, among others, Za´Darius Smith, Patrick Peterson, Jordan Hicks, Harrison Phillips, Lewis Cine, and Andrew Booth. Cousins will also have a new play-caller in the upcoming season. Something that is not new to him, as he has to get to know a new one every season.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings as his favorite team, despite Christian Ponder being the quarterback at the time. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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