Why Redskins' issues are too big for turnaround

The defending NFC East champion Washington Redskins might be the most disappointing team in the NFL this season. They're 0-2, including a home loss to archrival Dallas, a defeat that has reportedly led some of the team's players to point fingers in the direction of quarterback Kirk Cousins as the primary cause of these woes.

Things are bound to get better for Washington this season, but after looking over the metrics and game tape, it is clear that the ceiling for these improvements is low and will almost certainly prevent this team from successfully defending its division title.

Cousins' vertical pass production problems

Cousins wasn't signed to a long-term contract this offseason primarily because he had not proved his ability to connect on vertical passes (aerial throws traveling 11 or more yards downfield). Cousins posted 11.8 vertical yards per attempt (VYPA) last season, which ranked tied for 11th among qualifying quarterbacks, but he ranked 23rd in vertical touchdown passes (eight), 16th in vertical yards (1,809) and 17th in vertical passes (153). (Note: These metrics include pass-play penalties such as pass interference and defensive holding.)