Kirk Cousins struggles, and Raheem Morris acknowledges the need for improvement at the quarterback position.
Morris refused to answer questions about replacing Cousins with rookie Michel Penix Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons appeared set to dominate the NFC South in October. However, following a 27-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in November, they experienced a four-game losing streak.
The Falcons ended their losing streak with a 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, but they did so in an unimpressive manner. The Falcons scored only one offensive touchdown, and quarterback Kirk Cousins had a subpar performance, finishing the game with just 112 passing yards.
The veteran signal-caller increased his NFL-leading interception count by turning the ball over in the third quarter. Meanwhile, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris continues to be asked whether he will replace Cousins with rookie Michael Penix Jr. due to Cousins' recent string of poor performances.
Following the close victory over Las Vegas, Morris deviated from his usual unwavering support for Cousins. The head coach acknowledged that the team required more output from the quarterback.
The first-year Falcons coach instructed reporters that they must improve their play at the quarterback position and find a way to motivate the player to perform better.
Over the past five games, Cousins has thrown an eye-popping nine interceptions and just one touchdown, while the Falcons ended Monday's game with just 261 yards of total offense, much of which came from star running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed for 125 yards.
The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, with an estimated $100 million fully guaranteed. Morris and the Falcons' brass have likely considered the financial implications of sitting Cousins and potentially cutting ties with him at the end of the season.
In April, the Falcons selected Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick, several weeks after signing Cousins. In 2023, the former Washington Huskies quarterback led the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in passing yards with 4,903.
When Cousins demonstrated his ability to excel, concerns about drafting Penix Jr. dissipated.
In early October, the Buccaneers lost to the 36-year-old who threw for 509 yards in an overtime win.
The Falcons' victory over the Raiders kept them in playoff contention. The Bucs, with a four-game winning streak, lead the NFC South entering Week 16.
Subscribe to the Planet Chronicle Sports Huddle newsletter and follow Planet Chronicle Digital's sports coverage on X.
sports
You might also like
- Aaron Glenn's hiring as a Jets legend is met with approval from Joe Namath and other Jets legends.
- Klete Keller, an Olympic gold medalist, shares his thoughts on Trump's Jan. 6 pardon: "Something has been restored to me."
- Mahomes discusses Kelce's retirement possibility: "If it's his final game, let's give him a victory."
- Trent Baalke, the general manager of the Jaguars, is 'respectfully separated' from the team as other teams fill similar roles.
- Rams quarterback played through significant rib injury in playoff loss, reveals Matthew Stafford's wife.