When Kirk Cousins landed in Atlanta back in 2024, for a brief moment, it looked like the Dirty Birds had finally found their guy. That feeling didn’t last long. By Week 16, rookie Michael Penix Jr. was the one leading the offense. Head coach Raheem Morris kept it blunt, calling the switch “just a football decision.” So, when it came down to choosing a QB1, the Falcons went with the guy they believed could win them the next game. And right now, Kirk isn’t that guy in Morris’ eyes.
Still, Cousins didn’t come in flat. Far from it. When he suited up in Week 1 against the Steelers inside the Benz, he was fresh off a torn Achilles. Naturally, fans were worried when he tossed two picks that game. But the questions died down fast. In Week 2, Cousins dropped 241 yards, 2 TDs, and no turnovers on the Eagles, posting a stellar 117.2 passer rating. And by Week 10, he’d already racked up 2,634 yards with 17 TDs and a solid 98.5 average passer rating. He looked every bit like the franchise QB they paid for.
But then came the slump. From Week 10 to Week 15, Cousins’ numbers crashed hard, averaging just a 66.5 passer rating. The Falcons benched him, and the hype fizzled. Yet, not everyone’s writing him off. Analyst Aaron Freeman remains optimistic. “I still have Kirk Cousins, uh, as my number two quarterback… I don’t think Kirk Cousins’ late-season play is indicative of the type of quarterback that he is, I mean, he is chaotic,” Freeman said on Locked On Falcons.
Freeman also compared Cousins to Baker Mayfield—not for stats, but for playing style. Both are chaotic, both prone to turnovers, but Baker had a better setup. With Liam Cohen calling shots in Tampa, Baker got more out of the offense. Kirk? Not so lucky under Zach Robinson’s direction. While Kirk had his moments, especially outdueling Baker in flashes, it wasn’t consistent. And that’s been the difference.
Even so, Freeman’s rankings still give Kirk a lifeline. “This upcoming season. But for me, the number three quarterback, I got to give it to Bryce Young. Number four is, um, you know, Michael Penix and obviously these guys are on the way up. Kirk is on the way down… I’m trying to base it off of what these guys are today.” So maybe, just maybe, Kirk’s story in The Benz isn’t finished yet.
Falcons might get the Penix-Cousins effect
While Kirk Cousins’ situation still hovers over Flowery Branch like humid Georgia air, something way more exciting is quietly brewing. Rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. and third-year wideout Drake London have started cooking something special. Some folks are asking, ‘What’s so great about an unknown rookie QB?’ But they probably didn’t watch the final three games of 2024. Because what Penix unlocked wasn’t just chemistry.
And it’s essential to recall what London already demonstrated with Cousins: reliability. He was a stat machine with 100 catches, 1,271 yards, and 9 touchdowns. But something changed when Penix took over. London only had one 100-yard game with Cousins all season. With Penix? He went over the century mark in two of three starts. A signal that this rookie might already know who his WR1 is.
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Then came the real eye-opener. In Week 18, Penix and London went full fireworks show: 10 grabs on 18 targets, 187 yards, and 2 scores. London saw 38.2% of the team’s targets. And the way Penix delivered those throws? He averaged 10.2 air yards per attempt and let 47% of his throws fly 10+ yards. He played like he had a permanent aggressive toggle on in Madden.
Finally, that boldness is tailor-made for London’s deep-ball domination. His average target depth jumped to 12.7 yards with Penix. “Fun” and “fairly easy,” is how London described their offseason rhythm. For Falcons fans at the Benz, that’s code for something big coming. Cousins might be in limbo, but for Penix and London, this is the launch.
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