This time last week, Kirk Cousins made the Atlanta Falcons look like geniuses. He snapped the Falcons' losing streak by torching the New Orleans Saints on the road and reminded fans he's still a viable NFL starter. And he gave fans hope for the rest of the season with Michael Penix Jr. sidelined.
However, the Falcons' 27-24 Week 13 loss to the New York Jets told a different story. He threw for 234 yards and a score, but the 37-year-old looked more like the aging veteran we saw earlier this season. Cousins struggled against pressure while Atlanta's offense continually stalled, going three-and-out on their final two drives.
The pass-catchers being unable to catch anything certainly didn't help, but the four-time Pro Bowler made it clear his best days are behind him. As the Dirty Birds approach a quarterback dilemma this coming offseason, Cousins is starting to play himself out of starting quarterback consideration.
Kirk Cousins isn't the perfect Michael Penix Jr. insurance option Falcons fans believed he was
The loss saw the Falcons drop to 4-7 without their first-round pick while their franchise quarterback could be on the shelf for all of next season. They need a younger, more mobile option to step in in Penix's stead, so an expensive veteran who will be 38 at the start of next season isn't the answer.
There were already doubts about whether or not Cousins can lead this team back to the playoffs, and he's making those doubters look right. Due to the inconsistency of this offense, last weekend's performance looks more like a flash in the pan rather than a legit glimpse of the future in Atlanta.
Since the start of the 2023 season, the Michigan State product has started just 23 games and is just 11-12 in those games. Even if his numbers didn't look bad with Drake London sidelined, expecting second-year OC Zac Robinson to get the most out of the offense is seemingly too much to ask.
Robinson tried transitioning the offense to a more play-action centric unit, which worked in Week 12 against the Saints,. which failed miserably against the Jets. Aaron Glenn brought additional pressure to test the offensive line, which didn't even give Cousins the time or the rhythm to make those throws.
Moreover, the vertical passing attack was nowhere to be found in East Rutherford since Darnell Mooney struggled and the only skill players who showed up for the Falcons were Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts.
Regardless of how things play out, all of this offensive ineptitude is starting to make the man who was paid $180 million by this team less than two years ago look expendable for the second consecutive offseason.