Redskins' Cousins proving worthy of franchise quarterback status

First impressions can often be cold and unforgiving, and few within the football world know that feeling better than Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The 28-year-old led the NFL in completion percentage last season, steering the Redskins to the NFC East title, but the cognoscenti dismissed him as the byproduct of small sample size. Although the Redskins lost 31-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, make no mistake - Cousins is Washington's franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.

Cousins is often described as a player that's done well in a system that caters exclusively to him, and one that makes a number of short-to-intermediate throws that inflate his raw numbers. That notion simply isn't true, as Cousins sprayed downfield passes to Jamison Crowder, DeSean Jackson, Jordan Reed, and Pierre Garcon on Thursday, keeping the Cowboys' defense honest for the majority of the night.

Prior to facing Dallas, Cousins ranked third in passing yards, fifth in yards per attempt, and 10th in passer rating. And despite the loss, Cousins went 41-of-53 for 449 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in a clinical performance.

Perception often isn't malleable, but Cousins' critics are running out of data-driven ammunition.

In the nation's capital, there is real anxiety about whether Cousins has earned the "franchise quarterback" distinction, even with a mountain of proof in his favor continuing to pile up each week. Cousins is also working against cognitive dissonance held by Redskins fans and national writers alike, who've become weary of a former fourth-round pick taking over the role, after Robert Griffin III flamed out of town in spectacular fashion.

Aside from being part of the same draft class, there's nothing inextricably linking Cousins to Griffin, and to do so would be palpably unfair to both parties. Cousins is playing at a level that's consistent with the league's top-ten quarterbacks, and refusing to pay him as such at season's end would reflect an institutional paranoia that's not reflective of his ability. After Cousins signed a one-year, $19.95-million deal to return this year in good faith, it's time for the organization to reward him handsomely.

The Redskins remain in the thick of the playoff race, and if the season were to end today, they'd hold the second wild-card spot. Faster than anyone could've imagined, the NFC East developed into the league's best division, and Washington is competing valiantly against the Cowboys and New York Giants, both of whom are making legitimate cases to be considered Super Bowl contenders.

Cousins is at the forefront of the Redskins' franchise, and to view him in any other lens is either shortsighted, or rooted in an outdated evaluation.

The fifth-year pro has steered the Redskins out of the abyss, when the franchise appeared sunk by the failed Griffin experiment. That feat alone should've bought Cousins some goodwill among fans and media, but alas, he remains in limbo despite doing everything he can to keep his team afloat for the second consecutive year.

His body of work is on clear display - whether Redskins fans, the front office, and the public choose to accept it remains uncertain.