Some Vikings fans complain that Kirk Cousins is a checkdown quarterback on third down, one that doesn’t throw downfield and instead picks the low-risk, less dynamic option.
Based on Pro Football Focus’ data, however, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The outlet’s Sam Monson reported that Cousins ranked the 16th lowest overall in checkdown percentage on third down. Here’s what it said about Cousins:
“Kirk Cousins — often lambasted as a checkdown quarterback — threw a checkdown pass on just 3.8% of his third-down pass attempts, ranking 16th lowest among 41 qualifiers. Cousins evidently hasn’t been quite as conservative and risk-averse as some people like to suggest.”
Cousins has also been ranked first in several passing categories from Pro Football Focus. The quarterback was No. 1 overall in finding wideouts on crossers, and on targeting wide receivers out wide. He also was named the top quarterback on play-action passes and designed roll outs by PFF.