The Washington Times' preseason college football Top 124
It's bad enough that sports journalists around the country are shredding the Washington Nationals for the Shutdown Stephen Strasburg project. Most local media, however, seem to agree with the decision, probably due to our proximity and our inherent interest in the team's long-term planning.
Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins put up fabulous numbers against Chicago on Saturday night: 18 of 23 passing for 264 yards, three touchdowns and a passer rating of 154.1. However, the negative elements of his performance resonate just as strongly in his mind.
Kirk Cousins knows his role behind Robert Griffin III. Unless Griffin gets injured, it's hard to see the fourth-round pick out of Michigan State even getting into a game this season for the Washington Redskins. With that in mind, the preseason is essential for Cousins.
As the Redskins continue to develop rookie quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III this season and beyond, their pocket presence will be a determining factor in their of success.
Robert Griffin III: three sacks, no touchdowns.
Whatever positive vibes the Washington Redskins brought with them into their second preseason game vanished Saturday night during a nightmarish first quarter against the Chicago Bears.
Kirk Cousins grew up a Chicago Bears fan and remembers going to Soldier Field as a kid. He and his father, Don, froze their way through subzero temperatures to watch the Bears, and quarterback Rex Grossman, beat the Atlanta Falcons one Sunday night in December 2005.
Talking to Brandon Banks, the travel-sized Washington Redskin, you can see the uncertainty in his face, hear it in his voice. He knows he has to contribute as a receiver this year if he wants earn a spot on the final roster.
