ATLANTA — Kirk Cousins told a story Sunday evening that he has told before. It was in April of this year and Cousins, who had just signed a four-year free-agency deal worth potentially $180 million with the Atlanta Falcons, was visiting with a former player who he has identified only as “a retired quarterback” and “a Hall of Famer.”
“Unsolicited he said, ‘You know, Kirk, when I was in free agency and thinking about where to go, part of what I thought about was the city you go to, if you win, what would that be like in that city?'” Cousins said. “He said, ‘I look at you in Atlanta and say, that could be really fun. That could be a really special place.'”
Nine weeks into the season, Cousins is doing his part. The 36-year-old led the Falcons to their fifth win in the last six games Sunday as Atlanta beat Dallas 27-21 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“This is a city that when you come here and get the job done, there’s a lot to look forward to in terms of how we can all come together,” Cousins said. “You do it one week at a time to get there and then see where you’re standing in February.”
The fact that the Falcons (6-3) are even talking about February, the month the Super Bowl is played, would have seemed foolish two months ago and still may be far-fetched, but head coach Raheem Morris said after the game that he believes “the sky is the limit” for his team.
The way Cousins has played the last two weeks, it might be. He was 19-for-24 for 222 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys (3-5) and posted a passer rating of 144.8. That’s the eighth-best mark of his 13-year career. Combined with his 145.9 rating a week earlier, it’s the first time in his career he’s had back-to-back games with a rating above 140, according to TruMedia.
Signing Cousins “was about getting a quarterback in here who could actually deal to all the guys, to all the talent,” Morris said. “He’s been able to go out there each week and get better and better, and, more importantly, proud of his leadership that he’s been able to show throughout the process. I think it’s just been awesome. Kirk Cousins is exactly what I thought he was.”
Through Sunday’s early slate of games, Cousins was fourth in the NFL in touchdown passes (17) and eighth in passer rating (101.9).
“Kirk does a good job of, if he’s feeling it, he makes sure the whole team feels him,” said wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, who caught his first touchdown pass since joining the Falcons this offseason as a free agent along with Cousins. “It’s a blessing to have a vet like that on the field.”
Cousins’ performance Sunday came against Mike Zimmer, who was his head coach for four seasons in Minnesota and is now the defensive coordinator in Dallas. Cousins declined to take any validation in getting the best of his former boss, though.
“He was doing a good job of keeping us guessing,” Cousins said. “That’s why it felt like a grind because … he had a good plan for us.”
A grind that the Falcons ultimately won. Cousins’ battle with Zimmer was summed up by a 36-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney midway through the second quarter. Atlanta faced a fourth-and-3, and Cousins could tell the notoriously blitz-happy Zimmer was sending “all-out pressure” with man coverage behind it. The pressure meant Cousins wouldn’t have time to decide post-snap where to throw the ball, he said.
“I had Bijan (Robinson) on a double move on my left, Mooney on my right and (tight end Kyle Pitts) on a shallow cross,” Cousins said. “All three had potential against man coverage. All three had to win quickly. I just felt best about drifting right and trying to find Mooney. I knew the ball had to be out quick, and Mooney made it right.”
Mooney was wide open.
“The ball was maybe two-thirds of the way there, and I thought, ‘He’s pretty open. This has potential,'” Cousins said. “That was a good feeling.”
The Falcons rushed for only 100 yards against a Cowboys defense that entered the game as one of the worst in the NFL against the run, but that was because of decisions Dallas made during the game, Morris said.
“They probably thought that they had to buckle down against the run,” the coach said. “They had a couple big plays, but that opens up things for us in the back end. When you open up things in the back end for us, it can get ugly for you. I love the way Kirk is able to see the whole process, go through it and get the ball where it needs to go.”
Even with Cousins’ big game and the Falcons notching a season-high three sacks and the absence of edge rusher Micah Parsons, cornerback Daron Bland and running back Ezekiel Elliott from Dallas’ lineup, Atlanta still didn’t seal the win until Pitts secured an onside kick with 1:28 left in the game.
“It was a positive day coming out with a win, guys made plays, but there are always going to be things I’m going to nitpick,” Cousins said. “Would love to have pulled away, but we were unable to do that.”
Both teams suffered potentially significant injuries. Dallas finished the game with Cooper Rush at quarterback after Dak Prescott left with a hamstring injury, and the Falcons lost defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and Drake London.
Jarrett suffered an Achilles strain and said he will have an MRI on Monday.
“I can’t take it lightly,” Jarrett told The Athletic. “I was proud of myself to be able to play on it and be OK, but once I cooled down, it kept feeling tighter and tighter so we’re going to get an MRI and see what we’re working with, but I feel good and the doc feels good. We’re just going to see how it goes.”
