Atlanta Falcons offense is balanced and explosive. ‘Playmaker’ Kirk Cousins ​​is why

In the days that followed his decision to sign a four-year, $180 million contract with the… Atlanta Falcons in free agency, quarterback Kirk cousins struck up a conversation with a retired signal caller.

“Unprompted, he said, ‘Kirk, when I was in free agency and I was looking for where to go, part of me was thinking about the city you go to when you win, what would that city be like?’” Cousins ​​recalled. “And he said, ‘I’m looking at you in Atlanta, and I’m saying, that could be a lot of fun if you win.

“‘That could be a very special place to win. You have to be excited about that.'”

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Nearly eight months later, Cousins ​​has led the Falcons to five wins in their last six games. Atlanta is 6-3 and on top NFC South with a two-game lead.

Twice named NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Cousins ​​is off to a slow start and is among the NFL’s most efficient passers. He ranks seventh in the league with 258.7 passing yards per game and No. 4 with 17 passing touchdowns while connecting on 69.2% of his attempts.

And for all intents and purposes, that’s exactly who Falcons coach Raheem Morris thought Cousins ​​would be.

“He’s ready,” Morris said. “He’s able to move the ball around and spread. He can do all the things we described when we first met, way back to the (NFL) Combine, talking about what we were looking for, what we had to go get.”

When Morris spoke at the Combine in February, he noted that he got his job because the Falcons lacked quarterback play. Starting signal callers Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke were called “deficient” by owner Arthur Blank in January.

Morris said this week that it was not a chance for either player. Still, Morris knew the Falcons needed better air distribution to maximize their trio of first-round weapons in tight times Kyle Pittsrecipient Drake London and run back Bijan Robinson. Atlanta later added a free agent receiver Darnell Mooney to his weapons.

As a result, the Falcons have found a better offensive balance. They have rushed for at least 100 yards in each of the past four games, and in a Week 9 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Morris said Atlanta forced Dallas’ defense to aggressively commit to stopping the run.

The Cowboys’ secondary opened up. Cousins ​​capitalized, going 19 of 24 for 222 yards and three touchdowns. In recent years, Atlanta’s offensive identity has focused on running the ball. This year, the Falcons feel like they can beat teams in a variety of ways.

“If you open things up for us on the back end, things can get ugly for you,” Morris said. “I like the way Kirk can see the whole process, go through it and get the ball where he needs to get it.”

How much do the Falcons trust Cousins? Enough to consistently go for it in 4th and controllable situations. Atlanta ranks No. 10 league-wide in fourth-down attempts with 15, and has gone 6-for-6 in such situations over the past three games.

Morris said some of those aggressive decisions come from having Cousins, because the Falcons know what they’re going to get from an execution standpoint.

That sentiment extends to the offensive line, which Morris noted has been excellent at providing strong pockets for Cousins.

Against Dallas, Cousins ​​hit receiver Ray-Ray McCloud for a touchdown on a play where McCloud wasn’t expected to be part of the progression – but due to the time given to Cousins, he worked his way to McCloud, who scored his first score as a Valk.

Cousins ​​is known as a progression passer, someone who can cut through, read the ball and distribute it to places it may not have been originally intended for.

Without time to scan the defense, Cousins ​​loses effectiveness. The Falcons offensive line understands that and has risen to the occasion.

“Kirk does a great job communicating with us,” All-Pro right guard Chris Lindstrom said. “We knew our assignment and really tried to do our best, and we know how good those guys are. So if we can give Kirk and those guys time, they’ll open up and make an explosive play.”

Communication is a calling card for Cousins, both off and on the field. His leadership is often praised, pervading any questions about his ability to connect with a different generation and younger crop of playmakers.

When the Falcons need someone to pick them up, the 36-year-old Cousins ​​routinely provides a jolt.

“He makes the whole team feel him,” McCloud said. “That’s the great thing about it, man, that you have so much around you, you can just pick things up and work with them, because you can’t do it alone.”

Thanks to his precise passing and his veteran leadership, Cousins ​​has elevated the Falcons to a record they haven’t seen since their NFC Championship-winning season of 2016.

Yet Cousins ​​still shows more.

In a Week 8 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cousins ​​had a 13-yard run, his longest since New Year’s Day 2023. His mobility is better than the Falcons thought, Morris said.

But for the most part, defenses know how to stop Cousins: apply pressure. The Cowboys sacked Cousins ​​twice and hit him four times, but he still picked them out of the pocket.

“He’s very tough,” Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs said. “Veteran of the league – he’s seen all the looks. He’s going to make all the checks. You can’t give him a clean pocket. You’ve got to make sure he moves his feet. If he has clean feet, he’s going to be pretty efficient.”

Morris thought Cousins ​​played his cleanest game of the season against Tampa Bay. He followed up with another near-flawless performance against the Cowboys.

Atlanta’s offense has subsequently blossomed. It ranks eighth in yards (364.8 yards per game) and 12th in scoring (24.6 points per game), while surpassing 30 points three times, a mark it failed to reach last season.

Now the Falcons are headed to their first playoff appearance in six years. Their curators, with London newcomers Mooney and McCloud, have covered 93% of the chamber’s production from last season. Pitts has matched his career high in touchdowns with three. Robinson has 935 scrimmage yards in nine games, good for fourth in the NFL.

Once littered with unfulfilled promise, Atlanta’s offense is now the driving force behind the franchise’s best season of the 2020s — and Cousins ​​has his hands firmly planted on the wheel.

“He’s just a playmaker,” Morris said. “He’s managed to get better and better every week. I’m more proud of the leadership he’s been able to show throughout this process. Whether it’s in his quarterback room or spread throughout the team, I think it’s that’s just how it is.” been great.”

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