ASHBURN, Va. -- Running off the field after throwing for 375 yards and three touchdowns in the Washington Redskins victory over the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Kirk Cousins stopped and yelled right into the ear of general manager Scot McCloughan.How you like me now? Cousins said, rubbing McCloughans head. How you like me now?Its a loaded question.In leading the Redskins to six games in eight games, Cousins has 2,398 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He has 3,091 yards this season while playing on the franchise tag and wants a lucrative, long-term contract whether its from the Redskins or someone else.Hes made progression in every area of his game, and hes continuing to do so, coach Jay Gruden said ahead of the Redskins Thanksgiving Game against the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys. You can see it. Its `Eye in the sky dont lie, so to speak. ... The more comfortable he gets, and the people around him, and the system, the better hes going to be.We like where he is, we like where hes going, (and) hes going to continue to work, which is also why we like him.How much do the Redskins like him is the question. After not being able to negotiate a long-term deal, theyre paying him $19.95 million this season, and a second consecutive year on the franchise tag would cost $23.94 million.Thats in the range of what Baltimores Joe Flacco, Arizonas Carson Palmer and Atlantas Matt Ryan will cost against the salary cap in 2017, and Cousins doesnt yet have the resume of those established starters. Cousins is getting there, and he knows each game is a test.Im just always trying to prove myself and Im always being evaluated, Cousins said after outdueling Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Ill always be trying to prove myself as long as Im playing this game.Cousins downplayed the grander meaning of asking his GM, How you like me now? But the 28-year-old has a history of being fired up in big moments, like when he screamed, You like that? after leading a comeback from down 24 against Tampa Bay last season.When Cousins gets asked about his contract situation, he calmly recalls a football lifetime of dealing with uncertainty.In high school, I played my senior year with no scholarship offers and had to prove myself to earn a scholarship, Cousins said Tuesday. I went to Michigan State and played my senior year not knowing what was going to happen with the NFL. It wasnt like I was projected to be a high pick and had to prove myself there. I came here as a backup on a rookie contract as a fourth-round pick, didnt know what was going to happen, had to play that contract out and just prove myself. Here we are again.Cousins waited patiently to earn the Redskins starting job when he was drafted the same year as Robert Griffin III, but now isnt the time for patience. Urgency has suited Cousins well, and he has helped Washington rebound from an 0-2 start to get to 6-3-1 going into the showdown with Dallas.Along the way, Cousins has gotten better at extending plays, making better decisions with the ball and connecting on deep throws. He has a 104.9 QB rating in the past eight games and earning praise from Gruden for his growth.There are so many things that a quarterback has to do pre-snap that hes handling much better than he did when I first got here, Gruden said. Then his confidence to throw the ball and distribute the ball to the right people and not forcing the issue. His interceptions have gone down tremendously. Hes protecting the football in the pocket. Theres so many things that hes doing better that you just cant point to one.Cousins acknowledges that even though hell be 29 by the time next season starts hes still learning. But his veteran teammates see plenty of evidence that Cousins can be a franchise quarterback.Kirk, hes a winner, hes a leader, hes everything you want in a quarterback, said tight end Vernon Davis, who played last season with Peyton Manning. Each and every week hes getting better and better.Game notesGruden said long snapper Nick Sundberg didnt participate in a walkthrough Tuesday. Sundberg missed the Packers game with a back injury and was replaced by Rick Lovato. ... WR DeSean Jackson (shoulder), LT Ty Nsekhe (ankle), DE Chris Baker (hamstring) and LB Preston Smith (back) were limited Tuesday.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLBasketball Shoes Outlet . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Clearance Basketball Shoes .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. http://www.basketballcheapshoes.com/ . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. Basketball Shoes Clearance .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Cheap Nike Basketball Shoes .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place.Beaten quarter-finalists England defeated Namibia by 203 runs in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup to secure a spot in the fifth-place play-off against Pakistan. Durhams Jack Burnham (109) scored his third century in the tournament as England responded well to the disappointment of defeat to Sri Lanka on Sunday.Burnham put on 170 for the second wicket with Nottinghamshires Tom Moores (85) - son of former England head coach Peter - as England set Namibia 287 to win from their rain-reduced 48 overs.No other England batsman managed more than 23, and they somewhat stuttered to their scorre, losing six wickets for 76 runs in the final 10 overs of their innings.ddddddddddddBut an emphatic display with the ball saw the side skittle Namibia for 83 in 26 overs, Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane wrapping up the innings and the win, taking 3-3.There is live Under 19 World Cup semi-final action between Bangladesh and West Indies on Sky Sports 2 HD from 2.30am on Thursday, with the seventh-place playoff between Namibia and Nepal available on the Red Button.Watch Englands fifth place play-off against Pakistan live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 2.30am on Friday. ' ' '