It felt all too becoming that this precise 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 staff with hopes of a deep playoff run, they’re now on the point of 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 main downside all through this dropping streak. Cousins leads the NFL in interceptions this yr and usually hasn’t checked out all just like the QB the Falcons had been anticipating once they signed him to a $180 million deal within the offseason. It’s equally irritating as a result of outdoors of QB play, the Falcons’ offense has been good this yr! Working backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have performed properly, WR Darnell Mooney is taking part in at a excessive stage, they usually’re getting high quality play up entrance. It, fairly actually, is the QB probably holding this staff from making the playoffs.
So what’s gone improper for Cousins in Atlanta throughout this 4 recreation skid? Nicely, it’s the identical downside the Falcons confronted once they began the season slowly: Kirk can’t transfer, and it’s limiting what the offense needs to be. The explanation that is so large, 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 for the reason that Achilles harm he’s basically been a statue. Exterior of the Vikings recreation, Cousins has 9 dropbacks which might be tagged by Sports activities Info Options as designed rollouts. As compared, QB Matthew Stafford has 47 for the Rams, the second most in your complete league. Not with the ability to entry this a part of their offense has completed main harm to the performance, and compelled Cousins to do extra work as a typical 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 towards Minnesota, his physique is telling him to only dust 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 obtained that established, we get to the problem with having Kirk do extra normal 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 price of seven.8% when pressured is first within the NFL amongst 36 qualifying passers, and it isn’t shut.
He’s turn out to be an issue as a result of he’s not beating the blitz together with his thoughts, neither is he utilizing his legs to mitigate stress. 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 yr 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 may have your subsequent man if 2025 is the final yr 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.