Falcon Report

Raheem Morris Doubles Down on Kirk Cousins while Michael Penix Watches from Bench

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has been abysmal during the four-game-losing streak, but head coach Raheem Morris is backing his veteran.

Terrance Biggs

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is in the worst four-game slump of his career while Michael Penix Jr. watches.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is in the worst four-game slump of his career while Michael Penix Jr. watches. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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Loyalty in sports and life remains an underrated aspect of society. However, Raheem Morris's devotion to Kirk Cousins, in the face of a collapse, observers begin to look at Morris's decision to stick with his veteran signal caller. 

However, time to turn the season around draws slimmer by the day. As a result, the Atlanta Falcons need to do something to change their immediate fortunes. During media availability, Morris opined regarding his quarterback situation.

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Turnover Issues

During the current four-game skid, Cousins sits in the negative when it comes to turnovers. Eight interceptions during the last month feels like a harbinger of not only a rough present but unstable future. With too much at stake, the team must seriously look at handling the fact that the starting quarterback cannot stop turning the ball over. 

"No, you can't live with it at all,” said Morris earlier this week. “You’ve got to eliminate the turnovers, so that message has to remain the same. But it wasn't just Kirk yesterday.”

“Kirk had the two interceptions, one early in the game on a play action pass,” Morris continued. “We had one late in the game going to Kyle [Pitts] over the middle on a Zero S type play. So, he’s got to put a better ball on Kyle.

“Then we had, obviously, the one that was just dreadful and just kind of got the game out of whack, was the one on the kickoff return. Basically, we had a fourth, but giving the ball back on the penalty that we got on the field goal block team. Basically, giving them a short field and two opportunities to go out there and score touchdowns that we could have taken away."

The Falcons were also fortunate to get the ball back on what was ruled a simultaneous catch by Drake London. Replays showed he didn’t have full possession of the ball, but it was one of the few breaks that went Atlanta’s way.

If Morris cannot deal with the turnovers from Cousins, why not pull him for Penix? A fine line exists between establishing your own protocols and just ignoring the way the wind blows. 

The Falcons cling to playoff hopes with a tenuous grip. 


Unmovable

Even with a game versus the 2-11 Raiders on deck, Morris still refuses to consider No. 8 overall draft pick Michael Penix Jr. as the starter. This game, against a team circling the drain, would provide the perfect opportunity for the Falcons to ease the quarterback in. 

Yet, Morris, the only one with the ability to make the switch, bristles at the notion, and Falcons fans can only gnash their teeth watching fellow rookies Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels march their Broncos and Commanders teams respectively to the playoffs. 

"This is a very tricky way of asking who is our quarterback,” Morris answered if he’d play Penix if he thought the rookie gave Atlanta the best chance to win. “I like that. It's for sure Kirk, our quarterback, but I have no hesitations on what our young man's been doing and how he's been preparing and the things that he's ready to do.

“So, if that time ever came, I would have a lot of confidence in what Mike's able to do, but Kirk [Cousins]’ is our quarterback. Kirk's the guy who's going to lead us. We’ve still got a big-time opportunity coming up here on Monday Night Football with Kirk leading us, and I'm fired up to go out there and get us to play better.”

Bottom Line

In no uncertain terms, Raheem Morris will stick with Kirk Cousins to the potential detriment of the 2024 season. Whether Cousins can pull the team out of their month-long funk remains to be seen. 

From the outside, it looks like the Atlanta Falcons will ride out the relevant part of this season with Cousins at the helm. Losing on Monday night to Desmond Ridder and the Raiders would considerably shorten the relevant games left for the Falcons as their playoff hopes go up in smoke.

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Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Senior Editor/ Podcast Host, Full Press Coverage, Bleav, Member: Football Writers Association of America, United States Basketball Writers Association, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, National Football Foundation Voter: FWAA All-American, Jim Thorpe, Davey O'Brien, Outland, and Biletnikoff Awards