Perhaps the biggest story line for the Atlanta Falcons this offseason was what to do with quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Falcons, of course, drafted Michael Penix with the eighth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and thus had a problem on their hands.
What do we do with a veteran quarterback that we just gave a four-year, $180 million contract? Well, they weren’t able to trade him – obviously – so they were forced to hold onto him. That’s only a bad thing until the Falcons actually need him..
Which is now.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cousins will likely start in place of the injured Penix on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
“ESPN Sources: Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is “highly likely” to start Sunday’s game vs. the Dolphins as Michael Penix recovers from a bone bruise to his knee,” Schefter posted on X. “Penix was limited at practice all week and Cousins worked with the first-team offense, gearing up to start Sunday.”
Coaches were hoping Kirk Cousins wouldn’t have to play
In the NFL you need a backup quarterback. Relying on just one guy to stay healthy for 17 games with no Plan B is something the Dolphins would do. Or, in their case, they relied on an oft-injured guy to play at a respectable level for an entire season, and that’s just part of the reason why they are a dumpster fire.
With the Falcons, they were counting on a second-year quarterback to take the next step and become the face of the franchise. Up until today, the team was hopeful that he’d be able to suit up Sunday.
“He’s the ultimate tough guy,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters Friday. “Obviously, it’s going to be based on movement. It’s going to be based on what he can do, all the stuff that he has. The organization will not put him in harm’s way. We won’t do that. We’ll get a better feel for it when we practice him live and we do some of those things on Thursday, obviously, and Friday and Saturday.”
Morris has to be thrilled he still has Cousins at this point. At 3-3, they can’t afford to drop a few games because they don’t have competent quarterback play available.
“(Cousins has) played a lot of football in this league, it gives you a lot of comfort knowing that you have Kirk, a lot of confidence knowing that you have Kirk,” Morris said. “Obviously, it will be all based on Mike’s injury status and Mike’s injury status alone.”
How does Kirk Cousins affect Bijan Robinson?
Usually when you have to start a backup quarterback, the thoughts go to how that will affect everything else. What other adjustments now have to be made?
For the Falcons, the first question is obviously is about running back Bijan Robinson. He’s the best running back in the league and the Dolphins just gave up three touchdowns on the ground to Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins.
So, how will they handle Bijan if the Falcons rely on him even more than usual?
“Pack mentality,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. “You have to be sound, but you have to be urgent. You have to have multiple players in the vicinity to make him stop his feet and have a group of people putting their pads on him at once. If you are in space and he’s coming up on you, you have to shoot your guns and wrap. You can’t just try to knock them down with a shoulder pad. You’d better wrap up.”
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