Cousins moved up three spots in NFL.com’s Week 14 QB power rankings.
The Atlanta Falcons had no choice but to turn to backup quarterback Kirk Cousins following Michael Penix Jr.’s season-ending knee surgery. The team has gone 1-1 since Cousins took over in Week 13, losing a close game to the New York Jets in Week 14.
The veteran quarterback hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since entering the lineup, but he’s been solid in his last two starts. Cousins completed 21 out of 33 pass attempts for 233 yards, one touchdown and zero turnovers in Week 14. For the season, he has 683 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
So, where does Cousins rank among the NFL’s 32 starting quarterbacks entering Week 14? NFL.com’s Nick Shook bumped the Falcons QB up from No. 24 to No. 21 after Sunday’s loss to the Jets:
Kirk Cousins did a bang-up job against the Jets for most of the game, firing accurate passes and fulfilling all the goals set for a backup quarterback. It was one of the better performances I’ve seen from him over the last two seasons (outside of those stat-stuffers against Tampa Bay in 2024). — Nick Shook, NFL.com
While this ranking seems reasonable on the surface, Cousins was ranked above two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson in NFL.com’s Week 14 QB power rankings. The Ravens quarterback is having a down year by his own standards, however, Jackson still has 1,841 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, four interceptions and a passer rating of 104.5.
This isn’t to say Cousins has played poorly, but it’s interesting that he would leapfrog Jackson after losing to a two-win Jets team. Jackson was ranked No. 24 on NFL.com’s QB rankings. Other notable quarterbacks listed below Cousins included Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers and Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa.
The Falcons have a much tougher test coming up in Week 14. The 9-3 Seattle Seahawks are coming to Atlanta for a Sunday afternoon showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
While Atlanta has little to play for other than pride, the team will attempt to play spoiler against an immensely talented Seahawks team that’s fighting for a playoff spot. Sunday’s game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET.