MINNEAPOLIS — As his final pass of the game sailed over the head of tight end Kyle Pitts and landed in the end zone, quarterback Kirk Cousins could only shake his head in disappointment and make his way back to the sideline. His return to Minneapolis was marred by a disappointing performance against the Vikings, the team he spent the last six seasons with. Instead of impressing the fans who once cheered for him, Cousins endured his career’s longest struggle, which included two interceptions and no touchdown passes, leading to a 42-21 defeat for the Atlanta Falcons.
This loss marked the Falcons’ fourth consecutive defeat, dropping their record to 6-7 and eliminating their tie for first place in the NFC South with Tampa Bay. During this troubling stretch, Cousins has thrown eight interceptions without a touchdown. Data from Sportradar indicates he has joined a distinguished group of just six quarterbacks in the last two decades to experience a four-game stretch with at least one interception and no touchdowns. Those in this club include Trace McSorley, Curtis Painter, Ken Dorsey, Brett Favre, and Alex Smith, all of whom faced similarly frustrating situations.
“I’d love to be producing more,” Cousins remarked, taking a moment after the game to connect with former teammates and coaches. “It’s been disheartening over the last month to not have a touchdown pass. I wish that number could be different.”
Despite the poor outcome, there were bright spots for Cousins, who completed 23 of 37 passes for 344 yards, marking his second-highest yard total this season. Yet, the interceptions loomed large; the first happened late in the first quarter with the game tied at 7-7 when safety Josh Metellus intercepted a short pass. The second came during an attempt to close a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter when cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. snatched an overthrown pass near the goal line.
“The first turnover was one I can easily correct. I could’ve thrown it away,” Cousins conceded. “The second one was tougher; I wish I had placed it more inside. It was a good play by Byron Murphy after they applied heavy pressure on me.”
With increasing calls for rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. to take over, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris remains steadfast in keeping Cousins as the starter. “We discuss everything after reviewing the tape,” Morris stated. “But Kirk Cousins is our starting quarterback. We’ll do what’s needed to win games, and he’s a significant part of that.”
Cousins allowed himself a moment of levity after hearing his coach suggest he played better than the previous week, where he matched a career high with four interceptions in a narrow loss to the Chargers. “Last week set a low bar,” he joked. “I felt more like myself today.”
He was not taken aback by the jeers from the crowd when he and his teammates entered the field. “It’s a passionate fan base. I expected, and they certainly delivered,” Cousins commented.
With his much-anticipated return to Minnesota behind him, Cousins and the Falcons now shift their focus to the upcoming games, beginning with a match against Las Vegas next week, followed by another reunion in Washington on December 29. “It’s never easy in this league,” Cousins noted. “We’re facing tests now. Regardless of wins or losses, we must stick to our processes week in and week out and focus on improvement.”