The Redskins entered Sunday’s matchup against the Jaguars riding a nine-game losing streak stretching back to the 2013 season. And while they did end up securing a 41-10 victory in front of their hometown fans, they lost their starting quarterback, former Redskins’ quarterback Joe Theismann even went as far as to say Cousins was the better quarterback, and should have been the Redskins’ starter Week 1.

Setting aside all the conjecture, as the new clear-cut starter in Washington, what can we expect from Cousins moving forward?

Cousins vs. Griffin: By The Numbers

If you’re an avid reader here at numberFire, you’ve probably heard us reference our Net Expected Points (NEP) metric. For those who may be new to the site, you can read up about our advanced metrics According to a Washington Post article, Gruden may have favored Cousins all along. It seems that Gruden prefers a more natural “pocket passer” to run his offense, with Cousins fitting that profile more closely than Griffin III. Gruden's quarterback in Cincinnati, Andy Dalton certainly fits the pocket passer mold as well.

Another possible benefit that Gruden is banking on with Cousins under center is the fact that his quarterback would theoretical be at less risk of injury due to Cousins not being outside of the pocket very often. And given Griffin’s well documented history of recklessness outside of the pocket, this may have some validity.

Captain Kirk's Ship

For better or for worse, Cousins will now be guiding the Redskins’ offense for the foreseeable future. He played extremely well in Week 2 - his Passing NEP totaled a solid 15.84 - but keep in mind that he played the Jaguars, who appear to be the worst team in the league.

Week 3 offers a stiffer test as Washington travels to Philadelphia for an inter-divisional showdown. If Cousins can move his offense effectively on the road against a more talented defense, then we can talk about his place as the best option for Washington long-term. For now, our metrics show that, up until this point in both players’ careers, RGIII has been the better option, and by a fairly wide margin.

The hype surrounding Cousins is palpable and there’s certainly a chance that, given this opportunity, Cousins outplays last seasons’ dreadful metrics and becomes a solid starting quarterback in the short term. Until we have a larger sample size though, it’s wise to reserve judgment regarding Cousins’ long-term viability.