Y’all had to know I was going with Kirk, right? I feel like I had to, even with the recency bias of the last two losses. I’m still going to go with him.
I am doing so because quarterback is not a position I feel the need to talk much about any longer. It’s not my sole focus as it has been in years past. It’s also not the position I think needs the most help any longer. I think Cousins has shown through multiple games — in wins and losses — why you go out and get him in the offseason.
After the quarterback purgatory of the last two seasons, it’s nice to have some stability and consistency at a position that (let’s be honest) hadn’t had that since the Matt Ryan days. You can see Cousins’ impact in the production of guys like Darnell Mooney and Drake London. They are pacing to have career highs in just about every statistical category.
Where Cousins goes, this offense goes, and even though the last two weeks have not been productive for this offense, I think I find myself being thankful for Cousins’ presence more times than not so far in 2024.
McFADDEN: There are so many great choices to list here, and it’s hard to argue with the new quarterback or head coach at the top. For the sake of argument, though, I’ll go with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
Sure, this current moment — after the Falcons scored just 23 combined points in their two games before the bye — may be the wrong time to shout out the man organizing the offensive attack, but I think Robinson has done fine work in his first year calling plays. The biggest issues plaguing Atlanta’s offense have been based in execution, not the approach. Cleaning up the penalties and setbacks, especially in the red zone, should get the Falcons back on track.
Furthermore, I don’t think we’ve seen anything close to the final form of this offense. Injecting more play-action passing after the bye week into the approach should benefit Cousins and stress defenses down the stretch. That Cousins is fourth among all quarterbacks with just over 255 passing yards per game while not using much play action is a testament to the effectiveness of the players and the scheme.
I can’t wait to see how Atlanta’s offense grows and changes as Robinson continues to get reps under his belt. He’s already got the Falcons in the top 10 in multiple statistical categories, and multiple players are thriving in his system. I’m very thankful for that.
Safe to say, the Falcons would not be who they are or where they are without the new head coach. His addition had to be the first domino to fall when it came to the 2024 edition of the team. This seems like too easy of an answer.
The initial excitement surrounding Morris was as clear as a sunny day in Flowery Branch. The intrigue was there. The support was there. The potential was there.
Internally, all of those things remain in Week 12, despite the back-to-back losses before the bye. The time off may have allowed Atlanta to right its course before too late, and that’s the hope. Because reality is, with six games left in the regular season, the Falcons are still in the best spot when it comes to the playoff picture within the NFC South. They’re 6-5 with a one-game lead, along with the tiebreaker, over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sunday’s outcome against the Chargers will speak volumes, though. Not only about the Falcons’ ability to bounce back. But more so about Morris’ ability to rally the troops. This is the perfect time to solidify the fact he was the right guy for Atlanta, that the Falcons should be thankful for him. Because although the Falcons still believe in the Falcons — understandably so — results matter at the end of the day, or really season.