Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris made it clear in his postgame presser that this is Kirk Cousins' team. The quarterback's last four games have zero touchdown passes and eight back-breaking interceptions. Despite this, Michael Penix Jr. remains on the bench and the Falcons appear poised to keep the rookie there.
This is exactly why you don't spend your top-ten pick on a position you just spent $180-milion dollars on. If Kirk Cousins wasn't locked into a guaranteed contract you cannot convince a reasonable pundit that Penix isn't taking over and going into the lineup after this loss. Atlanta set themselves up for failure from the start of the season.
Despite Kirk's contract the Atlanta Falcons should start Michael Penix Jr.
Atlanta owes it to the rest of the team and the fanbase to give the rookie quarterback a chance to turn the season around. With an extra day to be ready for Monday Night Football, it is the perfect time to start a rookie quarterback against a tanking team with an extra day to be prepared. Simply put, the rookie cannot be any more mistake-prone or hurt the team's chances as much as Kirk Cousins has for the last four games of the season.
Yes, Kirk's contract is impossible to escape and he will factor into the team's plans during the 2025 season. Still, you owe it to your team and fanbase to give the season a chance to flip and put the rookie into the lineup. A move the Falcons are unlikely to make despite the obvious concerns and issues Cousins continues to raise.
Take away the two games against Tampa and his great drive against the Eagles and look at Kirk's numbers. It will give Atlanta fans flashbacks to the last three seasons of quarterback issues. Exactly what Cousins was supposed to step in and fix.
If the Falcons are serious about attempting to put pressure on Tampa and saving what's left of the season it is time to make a difficult decision and send Cousins to the bench.