ATLANTA (AP) — With a year of high hopes on the cusp of a 0-2 start, Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons suddenly found their mojo.
The result was a game-winning drive that gave this season a whole new perspective.
Cousins completed five of six passes for 70 yards, capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass to Drake London with 34 seconds remaining that gave the Falcons an improbable 22-21 road victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.
“It was really, really important for us to be able to come in here and get a win,” Cousins said. “We had to do it any way we could. As so many NFL games do, it really came down to the final drive.”
If Atlanta goes on to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season, a possession that took a little over a minute might be remembered as an early turning point.
It was as if a light went on for Cousins, who looked extremely rusty in an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener.
There was plenty of speculation that he wasn’t fully recovered from a torn Achilles tendon that cut short his final season with the Minnesota Vikings and led to the Falcons sitting him for the entire preseason.
But everything clicked after the Eagles squandered a chance to put the game away when Saquon Barkley dropped an open pass that should’ve been, at worst, a clinching first down and perhaps even a touchdown.
For sure, the Falcons were extremely fortunate just to get an opportunity to win the game.
Still, they had to capitalize on it. That they did, making it look easy while leaving Lincoln Financial Field in stunned silence.
“I’m proud of the way we played, proud of the way we found a way to win, and we can build on that,” Cousins said. “I think it will build some character and some resolve in our group. I’m really looking forward to building on that up ahead.”
First-year coach Raheem Morris downplayed his first win from a personal standpoint, but he conceded that it’s a huge morale boost for his players.
“It pumps more belief in them,” he said. “We go around saying it all the time, but when players actually go out and execute it and do it, it’s something that just creates this energy for those guys to be able to get out there, knowing that they can do anything at any time.”
What’s working
Cousins was having another middling performance (15 of 23 for 171 yards) until that scintillating final drive. Suddenly, he looked like the quarterback worthy of the four-year, $180 million contract he got from the Falcons in free agency.
WR Darnell Mooney gave Cousins an additional weapon in the passing game, hauling in a 41-yard reception for the Falcons’ first TD and making two more huge catches on the winning drive. He inexplicably broke off a route on another play, but Atlanta wasn’t about to quibble over that miscue.
The running game was highly effective with the 1-2 punch of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Robinson had 14 carries for 97 yards, while Allgeier chipped in with nine carries for 53 yards. That’s just the sort of production Atlanta needs to open up the passing game.
What needs help
The Falcons got some pressure on Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts, including three more hits by Grady Jarrett, but a few more sacks would be a welcome addition to their defensive arsenal.
Matthew Judon had the only sack of the night, giving Atlanta three for the season. The Falcons need to step up their pace after perennially ranking near the bottom of the league rankings in that category.
Stock up
FS Jessie Bates III. The emotional leader of the Falcons’ defense had a huge game, with 12 tackles (including seven solos), two pass breakups and an interception in the closing seconds that sealed the upset.
Stock down
TE Kyle Pitts. The Falcons are still trying to find ways to get their talented tight end more involved in the offense. He was held to three receptions for 20 yards, giving him six catches for 46 yards through the first two weeks. That’s a far cry from the guy who had 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie in 2021.
Injuries
The Falcons got through the night without any major injuries, though they did play without LB Nate Landman. He went on injured reserve before the game with calf and quad issues, leaving Atlanta with only three inside backers — Kaden Elliss, Troy Anderson and rookie JD Bertrand — on the active roster.
“We’re probably a little thin,” Morris said. “We do have one on the practice squad, but we’ve got a lot of confidence in those three guys to go out there and execute what we need to get done in order to allow Landman to get back and be ready to play for us when he gets healthy.”
Key number
5.4 — Average yards per carry for the running game, which was a big reason the Falcons had a chance to pull it out in the end.
Next steps
The two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday night for Atlanta’s second straight prime-time game. This is another chance to show the nation that these Falcons have taken a big step forward coming off six straight losing seasons.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
