It felt all too becoming that this actual Kirk Cousins recreation happenned in Minnesota. On a day the place the Atlanta Falcons moved the ball pretty properly (53.4% Success Price can be third amongst all NFL groups from Week 14, even above the Payments and Rams, 496 whole yards of offense), they nonetheless lose 42-21 to the Minnesota Vikings on the backs of a muffed kick by WR Ray-Ray McCloud and two Kirk Cousins interceptions.
With the loss, the Falcons lose the division result in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. For a crew with hopes of a deep playoff run, they’re now getting ready to elimination due to inconsistent offensive play.
I wish to focus particularly on the offense and Cousins right here, as a result of that’s been the key drawback all through this dropping streak. Cousins leads the NFL in interceptions this 12 months and usually hasn’t checked out all just like the QB the Falcons have been anticipating after they signed him to a $180 million deal within the offseason. It’s equally irritating as a result of exterior of QB play, the Falcons’ offense has been good this 12 months! Operating backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have performed properly, WR Darnell Mooney is enjoying at a excessive degree, and so they’re getting high quality play up entrance. It, fairly actually, is the QB doubtlessly holding this crew from making the playoffs.
So what’s gone incorrect for Cousins in Atlanta throughout this 4 recreation skid? Properly, it’s the identical drawback the Falcons confronted after they began the season slowly: Kirk can’t transfer, and it’s limiting what the offense needs to be. The explanation that is so enormous, is due to the place Falcons’ offensive coordinator Zac Robinson got here from and what he needs to be. Coming from the Rams, the place bootleg motion was a big a part of how they constructed off of the run schemes. Nonetheless, Atlanta can’t actually entry that, as a result of Kirk can’t transfer in any respect.
Cousins was by no means a spring rooster, however because the Achilles damage he’s basically been a statue. Outdoors of the Vikings recreation, Cousins has 9 dropbacks which can be tagged by Sports activities Data Options as designed rollouts. Compared, QB Matthew Stafford has 47 for the Rams, the second most in all the league. Not having the ability to entry this a part of their offense has accomplished main injury to the performance, and compelled Cousins to do extra work as an ordinary dropback passer. The Falcons use play motion on 17% of their dropbacks with Cousins because the passer. For comparability, the Rams used play motion for Stafford on 25% of their dropbacks in 2023 with Robinson because the go recreation coordinator. This 8% drop is a large factor for the Falcons and Cousins, who succeeded essentially the most in Minnesota with heavy play motion (33% play motion utilization with Cousins in Minnesota in 2023, 31% in 2022).
Even when the Falcons use play motion, this season Cousins has been so inconsistent throwing downfield that he’s forcing turnovers that his physique is telling him to not throw. On his first interception in opposition to Minnesota, his physique is telling him to simply filth this ball (he even pump fakes!). However his mind tells him to go for it and he throws the ball proper to Josh Metellus. Can’t do something with this.
So now that we bought that established, we get to the difficulty with having Kirk do extra customary dropback stuff is that he turns into a pin cushion when he can’t transfer. The Falcons are blitzed 22% of the time when Cousins drops again to go, and when Cousins is pressured, dangerous issues usually occur. His interception fee of seven.8% when pressured is first within the NFL amongst 36 qualifying passers, and it isn’t shut.
He’s change into an issue as a result of he’s not beating the blitz along with his thoughts, neither is he utilizing his legs to mitigate strain. So what’s he bringing to the Falcons?
So, that brings us again to the unique query: the place do the Atlanta Falcons go from right here? My colleague Matt Warren wrote about how Atlanta can’t get off the Cousins contract this 12 months and have to attend till a possible void after the 2025 season, in order that they’re caught with Cousins for now. Drafting QB Michael Penix Jr truthfully seems to be smarter on this state of affairs, understanding you will have your subsequent man if 2025 is the final 12 months we see Cousins in a Falcons’ jersey.
Nonetheless, the Falcons must get Cousins utilizing play motion and transferring extra, and if he can’t, put within the quarterback who will.
