Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons snapped a four-game losing streak with Monday night’s 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
All positive things, right?
Technically, yes, considering the Falcons are still in the playoff hunt after squandering what was once a comfortable lead in the NFC South.
So, why did the team choose to bench Cousins now? And why isn’t anyone surprised by the move at all?
Well, Cousins has not been the same quarterback that he was for the better part of the first nine games. The celebration of “Kirktober” and the hope for a “Kirkvember” that would roll on for the rest of the season are long gone.
Cousins has thrown for one touchdown and nine interceptions over the last five games, but his decision-making has been a bigger concern than his stats.
And if you watched closely, it’s clear there was not a lot of faith in Cousins as the team moved through the game against the Raiders. He only attempted 17 passes, connecting on 11 of those attempts for 112 yards.
For perspective, Cousins finished 10 of his 14 starts with at least 29 pass attempts. Simply put, Atlanta looked conservative. And purposefully conservative at that.
Cousins addressed his benching in a recent press conference after head coach Raheem Morris had indicated that the level of play at the quarterback position was not up to par.
“I didn’t forget how to play quarterback,” Cousins during a press conference on Tuesday. “Certainly the turnovers were not what you want. But I didn’t forget how to play.”
While the veteran quarterback surely isn’t thrilled about losing his job, he understands the nature of the sport.
“There’s a standard that I have for myself and the team has for me,” Cousins continued. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t playing up to that standard consistently enough. It is what it is. You roll with it, and you still get ready. … The story’s still being written.”
For now, the Falcons will look to the young gunner Michael Penix Jr. to save the rest of the season with three games left. We’ll see if the rookie can have the kind of impact that many are anticipating.
Penix’s first NFL start is against the 2-12 New York Giants this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.