Grotz: Rattling Cousins is key to beating Vikings
PHILADELPHIA >> It didn’t take long to realize why Brandon Graham knew that Kirk Cousins is tied for the NFL lead in fumbles since 2015.
Graham has photographic evidence on his cell phone. And he rolled it out when reporters popped the fumbles question.
In the Eagles’ opener last year against the Washington Redskins, Graham ripped the ball from Cousins and Fletcher Cox scooped-and-scored to put the exclamation point on a significant road victory. Also in the video was another Graham strip-sack the officiating crew missed.
Small world that the NFL is, Cousins is with the Minnesota Vikings, about $84 million guaranteed later. Graham hopes to lead the Eagles’ welcoming committee Sunday when the teams meet at Lincoln Financial Field (4:25 p.m.,
FOX29, WIP 94.1-FM).
“All we want to do is find a way to win,” Graham said. “And that’s every week.”
One month into the season the Eagles are 2-2, the Vikings
1-2-1. It looks like anything but the rematch of the NFC title game won by the Eagles in a laugher, 38-7.
The quarterbacks are different, as Carson Wentz was sidelined in the title game, which left it to Nick Foles to get the job done.
While Wentz says his surgically repaired knee no longer is an issue, he proved last week he can’t quite turn the corner, prompting the Eagles to make a change on the offensive line. The exact change hasn’t been confirmed although a report indicated that the Eagles will turn to Isaac Seumalo at left guard, giving them more size for a ground and pound attack. Theoretically the pass protection issues should ease if the Eagles run more efficiently, as it sets up play action passes and calms down the pass rush.
The Vikings, on the other hand, have been gashed through the air. This might not be the best week to be patient.
The bottom line for the Eagles is defending Cousins, who has a very capable stable of receivers led by Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Tight end Kyle Rudoloph is a load, as well.
No quarterback has thrown and completed more passes than Cousins, now under the direction of offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, the Radnor High product who was quarterbacks coach of the Eagles last year.
“We did a lot of research on a lot of guys,” said Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who interviewed a handful of candidates. “I just felt good about the communication that I had with John, about his ideas, the things he’s done in the past with quarterbacks. I knew we’d have a new quarterback. That all had a lot to do with it.”
The Eagles’ pass has been shelled most of the season. Cornerback Jalen Mills has struggled in coverage. The other starter, Ronald Darby has had issues tackling. Safety Rodney McLeod exited two weeks ago with a knee injury. Opponents have attacked the Eagles with quick passes neutralizing the pass rush.
“We’ve got to find a way in the secondary, to make him hold it, to make him go through his reads,” Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said of Cousins. “And hopefully get some pressure up front.”
Cousins got crushed by the Buffalo Bills two weeks ago. The Bills sacked him four times, and he lost two of three fumbles.
The flip side is the Vikings have allowed 81 pressures through four games, per Pro Football Focus, putting them on pace for a PFF-record 324.
Left tackle Riley Reiff got killed by the Bills. Derek Barnett, who plays on that side for the Eagles, is out with a shoulder injury.
Last week the Vikings game plan called for quicker throws, and Cousins bounced back with a big game albeit in a 38-31 loss to Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles got a good look at that film.
Graham has his own film of Cousins, who, since the start of the 2015 season has fumbled 35 times – tied for the lead league over that time with Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks.
“I think Kirk Cousins is a really good passer, especially when he gets on rhythm,” Jenkins said, echoing Graham. “If he’s able to get the ball out of his hands all of the sudden he’s as good as any in this league. But I think you have the opportunity maybe to rattle him if you can take away some of those reads and get some hits on him early. What he looked like against the Bills and what he looked like against the Rams, it was two different guys. And I think that’s directly because of the type of pressure that he was under. They did a good job adjusting, getting the ball out of his hands, not letting him get hit.”
Graham, who led the Eagles with 9 1/2 sacks last year, needs one sack to pass Andy Harmon and move into sixth on the alltime Eagles list.
A strip-sack would add to Graham’s impressive video library.