LAS VEGAS — For the Atlanta Falcons to strengthen their chances of making it to the playoffs, both head coach Raheem Morris and quarterback Kirk Cousins recognize that the veteran quarterback needs to elevate his game in the final three games of the season.
Morris expressed the urgency for improvement following the Falcons’ narrow 15-9 victory over the struggling Las Vegas Raiders on Monday. “He’s got to play better,” Morris stated. “We obviously need to assess everything, but it’s clear he wants to improve, he needs to, and together, we need to find out how to facilitate that.”
Cousins had a mediocre outing, completing 11 of 17 passes for 112 yards, with one touchdown and an interception. This performance came on the heels of a challenging period in which he threw no touchdown passes and amassed eight interceptions during the last four games.
Throughout his extensive career, which includes 159 starts, this game marked one of Cousins’ weakest performances in terms of completions and passing yardage. “I recognize that I have to step up my game,” Cousins conceded regarding his less-than-stellar performance, knowing he currently leads the NFL with a troubling tally of 16 interceptions this season. “It’s been clear over the past few weeks that I must improve,” he added. “Raheem made that point, but it’s already obvious.”
The 35-year-old quarterback acknowledged his focus for improvement lies predominantly in safeguarding the football. “It’s always about making better decisions so that you’re not putting the ball at risk and avoiding being overly aggressive,” Cousins explained. This season, he signed a lucrative four-year contract worth $180 million but struggled to find the end zone until recently — prior to this current four-game drought, he had never gone multiple weeks without throwing a touchdown pass.
Currently, the Falcons find themselves just one game behind the leader of the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With rookie Michael Penix Jr. waiting for an opportunity to invigorate the team, the stakes are higher than ever. “Everyone on our roster is here for a purpose,” Morris stated, a remark made with team owner Arthur Blank present. “There’s a lot of room for improvement, and those conversations are constant. It’s just part of the football dynamic.”
Morris emphasized the focus must remain on winning the upcoming game and maintaining a positive mentality. “That’s the approach we have to take moving forward,” he asserted, underscoring the intensity of the quarterback position in discussions and strategies, as there can only be one player taking snaps at a time.
