Kirk Cousins’ Four-Interception Nightmare Costs Falcons in Painful Loss to Chargers
ATLANTA — It was a day to forget for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, and unfortunately for Falcons fans, it’s a day that might haunt the team’s playoff hopes. In a 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Cousins had one of the worst performances of his 13-year NFL career, throwing four interceptions and taking full responsibility for the defeat in his postgame comments.
Let’s break it down: Cousins’ four interceptions tied a career-high, a mark he hadn’t hit since 2014. The most painful of those turnovers? A 61-yard pick-six by Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still that electrified the Chargers’ sideline and deflated the Falcons’ momentum. Then there was the end-zone interception by Marcus Maye, which derailed a promising fourth-quarter drive. To make matters worse, three of Atlanta’s final drives ended with Cousins throwing the ball to the wrong team. Ouch.
After the game, Cousins didn’t shy away from the blame. “I look to myself and say, ‘I’ve got to play better,’” Cousins said. “It hurts. When you feel like your defense played winning football, feel like your special teams made big plays, felt like the run game [did] a solid job, I’ve got to play better.”
Falcons’ Playoff Hopes in Jeopardy
Sunday’s loss marked the Falcons’ third straight defeat, dropping them to 6-6 on the season. Despite the skid, they’re still clinging to first place in the NFC South, but the margin for error is razor-thin. Cousins’ struggles have been a glaring issue—he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in three straight games. For context, this is the first time in his career as a full-time starter (dating back to 2015) that he’s gone back-to-back games without a touchdown pass, let alone three.
What makes this loss even more frustrating for Atlanta is that the defense showed up in a big way. Coming off a bye week, the Falcons’ defense looked rejuvenated, racking up a season-high five sacks—their best performance since Week 16 of 2023. They didn’t allow a single offensive touchdown. Yet, despite the defense’s heroics, the offense couldn’t capitalize, and the blame falls squarely on Cousins’ shoulders.
Sticking with Cousins
Despite the rough outing, the Falcons are standing by Cousins as their starting quarterback. Head coach Raheem Morris made it clear that there was no consideration of benching Cousins in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Morris emphasized that Cousins is still the guy to lead this team.
“Kirk was brought here to put us in a playoff position,” Morris said. “… Everything is still right in front of us. We’re still sticking with our plan.”
Morris did, however, stress the importance of ball security moving forward. “The main thing I want to see from Kirk is not turning the ball over,” Morris said. He also expressed confidence that Cousins will bounce back next week when the Falcons face the Minnesota Vikings, Cousins’ former team. Let’s not forget, the Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, so the stakes are high for him to deliver.
Teammates Rally Around Cousins
While fans might be frustrated, Cousins’ teammates are standing by him. Wide receiver Drake London came to his quarterback’s defense after the game, pushing back against the idea that the loss was entirely on Cousins.
“Everybody who’s played football and especially at this level has had games like that,” London said. “I feel like I just had a game like that. So, it’s not all on Kirk. It can never be all on Kirk. We have to run the right routes. We have to be detailed, and we have to execute our plays. So that question kind of irks me a little bit. I really don’t like that. Kirk is more than an exceptional quarterback.”
For his part, Cousins said he’s healthy and isn’t dealing with any injuries that could explain his struggles. “I would love to tell you that I’m fighting through something,” Cousins said, “but I’m not.”
On Morris giving him a vote of confidence, Cousins said, “There’s no entitlement in the NFL. You just have to go earn it. And if it ever was [entitlement], I wouldn’t want it. I need to play at a level that justifies being out there, and so that’s the way I’ll always view it. And so, I’ve always felt through my whole 13 years that it should never be about anything but earn the right to be out there.”
Key Takeaways
- Kirk Cousins threw four interceptions, tying a career-high, in the Falcons’ 17-13 loss to the Chargers.
- The Falcons’ defense had a season-high five sacks and didn’t allow an offensive touchdown.
- Despite the loss, head coach Raheem Morris reaffirmed Cousins as the team’s starting quarterback.
- The Falcons are now 6-6 and still hold first place in the NFC South, but their playoff hopes are on shaky ground.
Next week’s matchup against the Vikings will be a pivotal moment for Cousins and the Falcons. Can he bounce back and prove he’s worth the $180 million investment? Or will the pressure of the playoff race continue to weigh him down? One thing’s for sure: all eyes will be on Atlanta.
Originally Written by: Michael Rothstein
