The three words that will be heard around the DC area, and define the current state of the Redskins season, for at least the next 36-48 hours. Kirk Cousins's showing of emotion after the biggest comeback win in Redskins history was as appropriate as it was a little corny with his voice cracking the second time he said it. But his charged up rhetoric put an exclamation point on the statement that the Redskins and Cousins made on the field against the Buccaneers on Sunday. This team has what it takes. This team has the ability to win the game by imposing their will rather than relying on timely turnovers by the other team. This team has the guts to go for a 4th and 2 at midfield with two minutes left before halftime, and call an onside kick in the middle of the third quarter knowing that if they don't get it they give the ball and momentum back to the other team. They have the fortitude to not give up at the five yard line after a 49 yard run that put the Bucs in almost guaranteed touchdown territory. Finally, and most importantly, this team has a quarterback that has developed the mental fortitude to win in high pressure situations.
This mental fortitude was the most important thing that he needed to work on this offseason, and while the Jets game showed that Cousins can still throw a good old fashioned Kirk Cousins interception party, he has also shown the ability to perform in high pressure situations. He has won two games this season in the last minute, where he led long 2 minute drives that ended with him throwing the winning touchdown. He got the Atlanta game to overtime with only 50 seconds left in regulation, and he had the offense humming in OT until he threw the game ending pick six. Cousins has proven that he can be a competent NFL quarterback over the first seven games of this season, and that he is making strides in improving his play. The real test will be coming up after the bye week when he must continue his improvement at New England, home against the Saints, and at Carolina. What he has done now with this win, however, is given the Redskins a new chance at the season.
Hopefully the Redskins will be going into Foxboro two weeks from now with a healthy Desean Jackson and a game plan that reflects the threat that he poses. That would not mean much if the Redskins were blown out by the Buccaneers, but this comeback win should galvanize the Redskins resolve. The NFC East is wide open, and this win keeps them in the mix for a possible playoff spot given one of their biggest offensive weapons has been absent all season. Redskins fans must also accept the fact, however, that there is a good chance that 5 weeks from now we could be 3-8 and going over all the talking points that were hashed out this past week after the loss to the Jets. Then again, there is a chance we could be 7-4. Whatever the outcome over the next month may be, what Cousins and the Redskins have done this week is show that they are ready for whatever comes at them, and they have turned a tepid plea for evaluation into an irreverent rhetorical question. "You Like That?".
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