In 575 snaps over 11 games in that period, Cousins has thrown 16 interceptions and lost four fumbles. In other words, he has committed a turnover about once every 29 snaps, or 3.4 percent of his plays. According to ESPN Stats & Information, that's the worst rate among 46 quarterbacks with at least 500 snaps during that span.
The details are in the chart. Cousins has paid for more mistakes than the lampooned Matt Schaub, Christian Ponder and Jay Cutler, among others.
As the backup to a struggling starter, Cousins naturally has evoked hope and excitement. That sentiment also was built on an intriguing but brief three-game appearance as a rookie in 2012. But the longer he has played, the more he has exposed himself as a backup-level player whose biggest flaw is what coaches hate most: giving the ball to the other team.
