To QB or not to QB?

   

(Head Coach Mike Shanahan, QB Kirk Cousins, and QB RG III, respectively)

     The Washington Football Team (Yes, I am one of those people) faces a complicated situation that has happened to many a team in the past: a full-on quarterback controversy. The old saying goes, "If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one." What does that mean? Well, you could take it two ways: Literally, it means that two is not equal to one. However, looking deeper into it, the quarterback is the single most important player on any football team, so the starter carries the weight of the team on his back, and must have tremendous confidence and great leadership qualities. For that reason, going back and forth between two players is extremely ineffective in most cases. In the case of Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins, there must be a clear cut starter, or the results will be tumultuous.

     Robert Griffin III has been surrounded by controversy since he initially injured his knee against the Baltimore Ravens last season. He was supposed to rest for four weeks, did not, and proceeded to limp around the field for another month before ending the season with a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and a torn Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) in his right knee. During the offseason, he led an aggressive ad campaign with the slogan "All in for Week One". After being cleared to play the day before the start of training camp, he proceeded to sit out for the entire preseason, seemingly jumping at the bit to return to the field for the regular season opener. Excitement mounted, NFL analysts picked them to win the  NFC East, and Washington Football Team was eyeing a Super Bowl Appearance. Then the season started. Since, RG III has underpeformed dramatically, including 13 starts without scoring a rushing touchdown, and the 32nd ranked Total QBR according to ESPN Stats & Information.

     Kirk Cousins, on the other hand, has been surrounded by controversy ever since he was drafted in the 4th round by a team that traded away their 2012 6th overall pick, 2012 2nd rounder, 2012 3rd rounder, 2013 first rounder, and 2014 first rounder to the Rams to move up 4 spots and select Robert Griffin III. Cousins stayed out of the spotlight for the most part, but was able to come in and win a couple games last season. Because he impressed in the little bit of action he saw, many people began lobbying for him early in the 2013 season, believing RG III to be injury prone. Even Super Bowl Winning Head Coach and Current NBC Sports Analyst Tony Dungy chimed in on the debate, telling the Dan Patrick Show that Kirk Cousins gave the Washington Football Team a better chance to win than Griffin after their week 2 loss to the Packers. After a 3-10 start, Shanahan decided to bench RG III for the rest of the season, and Cousins finally got his chance to start last week. In his 2013 debut, he scored 3 touchdowns to go along with 3 turnovers in a loss against the Atlanta Falcons. Fans are looking forward to the finish of the season, thinking of this as a "tryout" for other teams to watch. One fan, Andre Davis, says "Hopefully they get a first rounder for him, and if that is the case, he supports the benching of RG III 110%." This sentiment is shared by many others, and tomorrow will be a big factor in the ultimate outcome.

     On Sunday, Cousins faces Washington's biggest rival: The Dallas Cowboys. A win against the Cowboys will solidify his position within the organization, or as trade bait. The team will have some decisions to make this offseason, depending on Cousins' play over these next two weeks. If Cousins plays well, he could force the team to trade RG III, force a battle for the starting job in Training Camp 2014, or force the football team to trade him for a high draft pick. If he plays poorly, however, he will be relegated to the bench for the rest of his time in D.C. So, I pose this question to Kirkland Cousins of Holland, Michigan: To QB or not to QB? That is the question, and your play will give us the answer.