Opinions about Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins tend to shift week to week — even throw to throw — because his streaky play has a polarizing impact on fans and observers.
But even I wasn't ready for the shift in Cousins talk this offseason: from "is he going to be traded?" chatter that always seemed like a remote but non-zero possibility ... to a recent Pro Football Focus piece with a headline that starts, "Kirk Cousins is a dark horse MVP candidate."
The premise is fine enough, but it also reveals a fundamental flaw that I discussed on Thursday's Daily Delivery podcast.
If you don't see the podcast player, click here to listen.
It is argued that Cousins, by virtue of having the seventh-best PFF rating of any QB over the last three seasons, is borderline elite and would rise even more if given the benefit of more time to throw.
A particularly damning stat about the Vikings' line during Cousins' three seasons from the piece: Over the past three seasons, the cumulative pass-block grade between Minnesota interior linemen was 44.2, last in the league. For reference, the 31st-ranked team, the Seattle Seahawks, earned a 53.1 grade. And the top-ranked team, the Cleveland Browns, recorded an 89.8 mark.
That would indicate Cousins could be even better with even adequate line play. But there are a couple of problems here.
First, the assumption is that because the Vikings drafted a tackle in the first round (Christian Darrisaw) and a guard in the third round (Wyatt Davis) they will be improved enough to afford Cousins the time he needs to scan the field and hold the ball — a tendency PFF concedes is "choosing to wait for the absolute perfect situation to throw."
