[htownskinfan]

Regardless, if the Redskins want any shot at the postseason, then the quarterback must lead them. So the burden is on Cousins, who earned the franchise tag a year ago with his play in December. Again: If you’re going to earn possibly the largest contract for a quarterback, then expectations are rightly higher. He reached that level in October and November, when he threw 17 touchdown passes to four interceptions (it was eight and zero, respectively, in November alone). It can be done. One game doesn't define a season or a future. But one month certainly helps do just that.

In December, Cousins has completed 63.8 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He owns a passer rating of 85.4 and a total QBR of 68.2. Not everything is on him, but if you tout the 2015 numbers, you have to accept 2016 as well. And last year Cousins was praised for his four December games (they played Dallas in January after clinching the division): He threw 10 touchdowns and one interception with a 121.0 passer rating and total QBR of 84.2.

He’ll earn what he gets this offseason, too, whatever the amount.

Against Carolina, there were times Cousins didn’t wait long enough to see an open target -- checking down to Chris Thompson, for example, in the first quarter when a split second later Jordan Reed broke open about 10-15 yards over the middle. Too many missed chances.