When the Falcons gave $180 million to Kirk Cousins in free agency, a mountain of criticism followed, especially with the club drafting Michael Penix Jr. about six weeks later. Through eight games, the veteran has lived up to expectations.
Cousins is coming off another excellent performance, the best of the season by passer rating standards. He completed 23 of 29 passes for 276 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the club’s 31-26 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday.
According to ESPN Research, Cousins became the fourth player in NFL history with 750 passing yards and eight touchdowns against a single opponent in a season, joining NFL legends Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and Y.A. Tittle.
The Falcons now sit 5-3 and 4-0 in the division atop the NFC South, and Kirk Cousins is a driving factor in the team’s success. He ranks 3rd in the league with 2,106 passing yards, 5th in passing touchdowns (14), 9th in completion percentage (68.3%), and 8th in EPA per game.
Kirk Cousins is squarely in the top 10 at his position, and his play is allowing the Falcons’ Big 3 to finally realize their full potential. The club invested top 10 picks in Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson; they’re finally living up to that lofty draft status.
After a slow start to the season, including a zero-catch performance, Pitts now ranks 4th among tight ends in yards, 9th in receptions, and 4th in touchdowns. He’s totaled 328 yards and three scores on 29 receptions through eight games.
Robinson ranks 4th in yards from scrimmage and 8th in rushing yards. The star running back has totaled 546 rushing yards and 238 receiving yards to go along with five total touchdowns.
London is having the best campaign of the trio. The Falcons star wideout ranks 4th in receptions (48), 12th in yards (525), and tied for 4th in touchdowns (5). That’s a top 10 receiver.
All three are off to the best starts of their career, and they can all thank Kirk Cousins. The Falcons’ investment in the signal caller is returning solid dividends thus far.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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