Every NFL player encounters slumps at different stages of their career. The duration and severity of these slumps vary from one player to another. Take, for instance, in 2017, Julio Jones faced a six-game stretch without scoring a touchdown. In 1996, Michael Strahan went seven consecutive games without recording a sack. And in 2009, Adrian Peterson had a seven-game period with an average of 3.5 yards per carry. It's a strange feeling when a franchise player performs significantly below their usual standards, but we are all human, and even the best can have off days, weeks, or even months.Quarterback Slumps: The Under the Microscope Phenomenon
Quarterback slumps are an annual occurrence in the NFL. While other players can sometimes rely on their teammates to pick up the slack, the quarterback is always under intense scrutiny, making his mistakes more prominent. Kirk Cousins is the latest quarterback to go through a period of regression. In his personal opinion, this is not only the worst four-game stretch of his career but also the worst among any quarterback in the last twenty years. Cousins hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since November 3rd, and in the same span, he has thrown eight interceptions, including a pick-six during his four-interception game against Los Angeles.Before 2024, Cousins hadn't gone multiple weeks without throwing a touchdown pass since 2013, the same year he became the starter due to an injury-prone Robert Griffin III. It is highly uncharacteristic for a player of Cousins' caliber to regress so rapidly as his career has progressed. Although he may not be topping any all-time great charts, he has earned our trust by maintaining a relatively high standard.So, what exactly went wrong?
Pinpointing the Problem for Cousins
Throughout his career, Cousins has been known for taking the safe and sure-handed option when making decisions. Vikings fans often refer to him as the 'check-down merchant,' highlighting his over-reliance on short and easy throws, even in critical game situations.A prime example is during the Minnesota Vikings' 2022 wild card playoff game against the New York Giants. On 4th and 8, Cousins threw a three-yard out route to T.J. Hockenson. The tight end was immediately wrapped up and brought down by Xavier McKinney, ending Minnesota's 13-4 season in the first round. Despite having three receivers running routes beyond the line to gain, Cousins chose to rely on Hockenson's physicality to gain five yards after the catch and save the Vikings' Super Bowl hopes.This doesn't mean Cousins never takes risks. His favorite target is Justin Jefferson, a wide receiver who excels in medium to deep-range routes. Jefferson, who had 518 targets and 5,338 receiving yards during his time with Cousins, played a crucial role in improving Cousins' deep ball accuracy. Jefferson's ability to turn 50/50 balls in his favor also helped.In Atlanta, the air raid offensive formula has not been as effective. Receivers have struggled to create space, leaving little room for error in Cousins' throwing windows. Cousins' recent decision-making has been poor. He has strayed from what made the offense work well and has been forcing the ball into unnecessary situations. Six of his eight interceptions in the last four games came within 20 yards or less from the line of scrimmage.It seems that Cousins believed he needed to press more frequently, but the question remains, why?
The Impact of the Offensive System on Cousins
While the exact reason for Cousins' slump is unknown, it is believed that Zach Robinson's offensive system has made Cousins feel out of place. This year, the percentage of play-action plays run by Cousins is the lowest since he was with Minnesota in 2018. In fact, through the first twelve weeks, Atlanta was the only team that hadn't called over 10% of play-action plays.Although Cousins is not a highly mobile quarterback, selling the fakes on play-action plays has been a challenge for him, especially after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury a year ago. However, play-action calls typically have simpler reads for the quarterback. These plays consist of flood or shot pass concepts that force zone defenses to make decisions between covering underneath and over-the-top route runners. In the past, these combinations helped Cousins read and react to coverages and make better throwing decisions. Play-action plays also break up the field, allowing the quarterback to progress through his reads more easily by only having to read a quarter or one half of the field.This year, Cousins has been largely without this element and has been forced to play in a more fast-paced offense where he has to quickly process a lot of information after the snap and scan the entire field with reduced mobility. He feels the pressure to make a positive play before the pressure catches up to him. It's not working smoothly.Several times this year, Cousins has shown some comfort in the new system, but more often, he looks confused, disoriented, and uncomfortable. It is clear that Cousins and offensive coordinator Zach Robinson are not on the same page. While the plays called may not favor Cousins' play style or current limitations, the real issue seems to be Cousins trying to be a quarterback he is not.He becomes more careless with each interception he throws, as if he is trying to prove something that is not necessary. Up until now, Cousins has played to his strengths, and the further he deviates from that, the more Atlanta will continue to struggle. It's a tough slump he is in right now, but for the sake of the team, we hope he starts finding his way out of it on Monday night.
