Despite finally breaking their four-game losing streak, the Falcons offense doesn’t have much to be happy about regarding their performance against the Raiders. They were constantly put in advantageous positions, thanks to three turnovers and a safety by the defense, as well as two blocked punts by the special teams, and they were only able to muster 13 points.
On the bright side, Bijan Robinson looked spectacular once again, totaling 125 yards on the ground on 22 carries and cruising past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. Tyler Allgeier also ran with a purpose, adding 43 yards on 12 carries. In total, the Falcons ran the ball for 168 yards on 37 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per rush. Combine that with the Raiders’ miscues, and it’s almost unfathomable that the Falcons only scored 13 points on offense.
The blame for the unit’s ineffectiveness starts squarely with the quarterback. Kirk Cousins turned in yet another dreadful performance. While he did finally throw a touchdown pass, ending his streak of four games without one, it was all downhill from there. Cousins opened the second half with yet another ill-advised throw that resulted in his ninth interception over the past five games. From that moment on, the Falcons essentially shelved their passing game, opting to take the air out of the ball and relying exclusively on the run to avoid further mistakes.
That’s a damning indictment of Cousins. While offensive coordinator Zac Robinson needs to improve as a play-caller, it’s not an easy task when the quarterback is playing at such an alarmingly low level. Cousins’ decision-making resembles that of an overwhelmed rookie, his arm strength looks depleted, and his complete lack of mobility severely limits the offense’s playbook. The experiment should have ended weeks ago. At this point, it’s painfully obvious that Kirk Cousins is no longer the Falcons’ best option to win games, and head coach Raheem Morris’ tone regarding the situation appears to be shifting.
“We’ve got everybody on our roster for a reason, we’ve got so much to get better at. Those things will always be discussed, that’s the nature of the beast in football. Our mentality is to find a way to win the next game,” Morris said at Monday night’s postgame press conference.
Throughout the Falcons’ previous losses, Morris repeatedly avoided acknowledging the possibility of a quarterback change, offering unwavering public support for Cousins despite his abysmal play. This time, however, Morris’ comments leave the door open for change. Whether the Falcons walk through it remains to be seen, but there’s no longer any valid excuse for continuing to start Cousins.
Monday night’s game made one thing abundantly clear: Zac Robinson and Raheem Morris have lost faith in Kirk Cousins. If Cousins is under center next week, it points to one of two possibilities—either Michael Penix Jr. isn’t ready, or the Falcons care more about optics than winning football games. For the sake of the team and its future, a change needs to come soon.
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Photographer: Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
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