Everyone can see Kirk Cousins isn’t what he was before the Achilles injury, and the Falcons offense is rearing its ugly head with the veteran under center.
Despite starting with field position in Raiders territory on four of their 11 drives, Atlanta only mustered 15 points, two of which came by a safety. Two of those four drives started inside the 40-yard line; they resulted in three total points.
Kirk Cousins immediately turned the ball over in the second half following an Avery Williams kick return that set up the Falcons offense near midfield. The second half featured a heavy dose of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgier, with Cousins rarely pushing the ball down the field.
Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson got conservative. Granted, it’s what the game called for because the Raiders offense is abysmal, and Desmond Ridder wasn’t going to beat them. But it’s still a damning indictment on the Falcons that they have to hide a 13-year veteran, and there are only three explanations for the Falcons sticking with Cousins.
Reports of Michael Penix Jr. “lighting it up in practice” are false
Maybe Kirk Cousins is the best option at quarterback. Maybe Michael Penix Jr. is struggling in practice, which would mean the report from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe that “Penix has been lighting it up in practice” is false. If Penix is lighting it up in practice, a report that undoubtedly came from within Flowery Branch, wouldn’t that encourage the Falcons to turn to the rookie?
Optics
The Falcons gave Kirk Cousins $180 million in free agency, a deal that would effectively guarantee his place as the starter in Atlanta for two seasons because of the $90 million guaranteed. They clearly didn’t anticipate the veteran being this ineffective when they drafted Michael Penix Jr. six weeks after signing Cousins. One possible explanation is that Arthur Blank, Raheem Morris, and Terry Fontenot are prioritizing optics, as one insider reported.
“I truly believe the only reason the Falcons haven’t gone to Michael Penix Jr. yet is because of optics… I’ve had players inside that locker room tell me point black, Michael Penix Jr. is the best quarterback in this building,” Jordan Shultz recently said on Speak For Yourself.
Incompetence
How could we forget this one? The Falcons could simply be incompetent, which is the most plausible explanation. Raheem Morris, Terry Fontenot, Rich McKay (no, I don’t believe he’s out of the organization), and Arthur Blank have done nothing since taking over their respective roles to inspire confidence. I’d be as foolish as the men running the operation if I didn’t acknowledge the possibility the Falcons are just a lousy organization run by incompetent individuals.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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