Kirk Cousins gets another shot after Saquon Barkley drop, and comes through as Falcons beat Eagles

Kirk Cousins needed a big moment on Monday night. So did the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons’ offense had just two touchdowns for the season when Cousins took over with 1:39 left in the game, needing a touchdown and having to go 70 yards to get it for the win. Suddenly Cousins came alive.

Cousins moved the team quickly downfield. Cousins completed 5-of-6 passes on a quick drive and hit Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left. The extra point was harder after London got a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but Younghoe Koo hit it and the Falcons led 22-21. Jalen Hurts threw an interception under pressure after that and the game was over.

The Eagles were in position to win. But on a third-and-3, Saquon Barkley dropped a wide-open pass that would have resulted in either a touchdown or a first down that would have ended the game. That drop allowed Cousins to have his first big moment for the Falcons.

Up until that point, the Falcons had to be a little worried about their $180 million quarterback and where the season was headed. All he’s heard through his career is that he’s not clutch and that he shrinks in prime time. Then he came up with a drive that might change the trajectory of the early portion of Atlanta’s season.

Not much scoring on Monday night

Neither team was sharp early on. The Eagles moved it a bit in the first quarter, but on fourth-and-4 from the Falcons’ 9-yard line Philadelphia passed on a field-goal try, went for it and threw incomplete. The Falcons didn’t move it much, but at least Cousins was lining up under center, unlike Week 1. Last week, the Falcons were almost exclusively in pistol and shotgun, and it seemed like the offensive play-calling was limited because Cousins couldn’t move.

In the second quarter, the Eagles finally got it going a little bit on offense. The two big plays came when, somehow, the Falcons’ defense let Hurts run and he picked up conversions on fourth-and-3 and third-and-11. DeVonta Smith got a touchdown catch…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-09-17 03:14:16

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