The Atlanta Falcons, who had a 7-7 win-loss record, have significantly improved in the last few matches and now hold a 15-9 record after defeating the Raiders on Monday night at Allegiant Stadium. Their quarterback, Kirk Cousins, helped them win against the Raiders, but the victory wasn’t impressive.
In the post-game press conference, head coach Raheem Morris said, “He’s got to play better.” Cousins also admitted that he has a lot of room to improve.
Against the Raiders, Kirk Cousins completed 11 of 17 passes (64.7%) for 112 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Desmond Ridder did slightly better, completing 23 of 39 passes (58.9%) for 208 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Even though the stats weren’t terrible, the coach is still worried about the team’s overall performance.
This season, Cousins has completed 303 of 453 passes (66.8%) for 3,508 yards, with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Fans want better results, and with only 3 games left, the Falcons must win them all. Cousins admitted his struggles and knows he needs to step up and lead the team forward.
Kirk Cousins says he knows he has to play better, when asked if he’s feeling the pressure, especially after Raheem Morris said tonight, “we have to play better at the quarterback position.” pic.twitter.com/CxhCX66sFw
— Kelly Price (@thekellyprice) December 17, 2024
He said, “We have to find a way to win,” Cousins said. “It’s never easy going on the road and winning in this league. Great to find a way. There were a lot of plays where you look at and say we can be better, I can be better. So, those conversations will happen certainly, but great to find a way.”
Kirk Cousins praises team’s strong defensive performance
After the Falcons’ tight 15-9 win over the Raiders, Kirk Cousins praised his team’s defense. The defense helped with three sacks, six quarterback hits, a safety, and 10 tackles for loss. The special teams also played a big role, blocking a punt, tipping another, and blocking an extra point.
Falcons defense/ST tonight:
— 𝙁𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚 (@ATLFalconsMuse) December 17, 2024
• 4 sacks
• 2 interceptions
• 1 FF
• 10 TFL
• 8 PD
• 2 blocked punts
• 1 blocked PATpic.twitter.com/wueH55skor
While Kirk Cousins acknowledged he has room to improve, he was quick to commend the defense for their big impact on the game. He said, “Our defense was phenomenal. Our special teams were phenomenal. Our run game was strong. We didn’t convert enough third downs really to stay on the field then turned some of those drives into points.”
