Kirk Cousins losing his best trait as a quarterback is ultra-concerning for Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons invested in Kirk Cousins expecting that he would be an efficient quarterback that can avoid turning the ball over and pile up the yards. As a byproduct, the Falcons' roster would be carried to the playoffs in a weak division. Instead, Cousins has lost four straight games and fell to 6-7, all ehile tossing eight interceptions and no touchdowns.

Cousins had thrown more than 10 interceptions just twice since 2018 despite a high volume of attempts in a pass-first Vikings offense. This recent streak of futility has brought himmto an NFL-worst 15 on the season.

Cousins became the first quarterback since Brett Favre to throw eight interceptions without a touchdown in four straight games. Favre made up for it with MVPs and championships in the past. Cousins, meanwhile, has thrown the short-term future of the Falcons into peril.

Cousins lost his best trait as a quarterback, which is only making the calls for Michael Penix Jr. even louder. The Falcons need to consider pulling the plug, as it seems unlikely that he will suddenly turn things around in the next few days.

Kirk Cousins suddenly becoming turnover prone is a nightmare for Falcons

At the risk of relitigating what appears to be a horrendous error from the front office, the Penix pick continues to make no sense. In selecting him, the Falcons admitted then and there that either the pick was a bit too rich or the Cousins contract was a miserable failure.

If Penix, a 24-year-old rookie with multiple knee injuries, is going to play in 2024 or 2025, why on earth was Cousins given that sort of contract? One month before a draft in which quarterback was on the table, giving Cousins a four-year deal that is extremely hard to get out of until after Year 2 seems very shortsighted.

If Cousins was going to be the quarterback come hell or high water for a team with a very real shot of winning a terrible division, why was the No. 8 pick not used on a new offensive lineman, wide receiver, or defensive star that could help change their fortune?

Penix will eventually play for Atlanta, but it might be messier than ever if the Falcons have to find some way to rid themselves of the Cousins contract. It turns out the move everyone eventually saw would become problematic is now threatening to take the Falcons' season off course.