In October, the Atlanta Falcons looked like they were going to run away with the NFC South. But after opening November with a 27-21 win over the Dallas Cowboys, a four-game losing streak ensued.
The two-win Las Vegas Raiders hosted the Falcons Monday night, and Atlanta snapped its losing streak — albeit in ugly fashion. The Falcons scored just one offensive touchdown in the 15-9 win, and quarterback Kirk Cousins finished the night with just 112 passing yards.
The veteran signal-caller also added to his NFL-leading interception total when he turned the ball over in the third quarter. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris continues to face questions about whether he will bench Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. given Cousins’ ongoing streak of poor performances.
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Kirk Cousins (18) looks on as head coach Raheem Morris of the Atlanta Falcons speaks to the offense and defense during offseason workouts at the Atlanta Falcons’ training complex May 14, 2024, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After the narrow win over Las Vegas, Morris strayed slightly from his normal steadfast public defense of Cousins. The head coach admitted the team needed more production from the quarterback.
“He’s got to play better. We have to find a way to get him to play better. We have to play better at the quarterback position,” the first-year Falcons coach told reporters.
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The Falcons ended Monday’s game with just 261 yards of total offense, much of which came from star running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed for 125 yards. Cousins has thrown an eye-popping nine interceptions and just one touchdown over the past five games.
Atlanta signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason. An estimated $100 million is fully guaranteed, according to previous reports. Morris and the Falcons’ brass have likely weighed the financial implications of sitting Cousins and potentially moving on from him at the end of the season.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins throws against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
The Falcons used the eighth overall pick on Penix Jr. in April, several weeks after signing Cousins. The former Washington Huskies quarterback’s 4,903 passing yards led the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in 2023.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins walks off the field after throwing an interception during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The decision to draft Penix Jr. was met with questions, but many of those concerns faded when Cousins showed his ability to still perform at a high level.
The 36-year-old threw for 509 yards in an overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in early October.
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The win over the Raiders did allow the Falcons to remain in playoff contention. The Bucs, on a four-game winning streak, enter Week 16 in first place in the NFC South.
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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.