Everything about Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ playing style embodies that of a pocket passer. While this has always been the case for the veteran signal-caller, he appeared to lack any kind of mobility early in the season.
Cousins is roughly a year removed from an Achilles surgery and has started to move better in recent weeks. The team has won five of its last six games since starting 1-2 and Cousins’ legs are a big reason for that.
After making some uncharacteristic scrambles over the last few weeks, head coach Raheem Morris jokingly said Cousins looked like Patrick Mahomes. The Falcons QB talked about how the progression of his Achilles has helped his mobility both in and out of the pocket.
“I think it’s been pretty consistent as of late. I don’t really think too much about the Achilles as I’m playing,” Cousins said. “If anything, it’s just so sturdy that I really trust it and so I feel pretty good.”
There is, of course, a large gap between Cousins and quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson. He certainly should never be expected to even come close to reaching those levels on the ground, but he’ll scramble and improvise a bit.
“I’ve always kind of been a pocket passer, but today, there were a couple of times I wish I had taken off and run,” Cousins said. “I’ve had this conversation with many of you — it’s that you want to go through your progressions. At the same time, you want to take off and run and there were a couple of times today where I thought the better decision.”
Regardless of what side of the spectrum he leans toward in the modern era at the QB position, Cousins’ ability to move around inside the pocket has helped Atlanta’s offense take off.
As crazy as it may sound, Cousins’ recent success has given him a real case to be in the league MVP discussion. This season, he’s completed just under 70 percent of his passes for 2,328 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
That’s good for fifth in the NFL in passing yards, also tied for fourth in the league in passing touchdowns. Morris couldn’t be happier about the investment he made in Cousins and the rewards the team has reaped from it.
“Kirk Cousins is exactly what I thought he was,” Morris said. “He’s poised. He’ll get the ball around, spread it around. He can do all the things we described when we first met going back to the Combine… realistically, getting a quarterback who can absolutely deal to all of the guys we have.”
He’s among the many who are impressed at Cousins’ “wheels”… if they can truly be called that.
“Last week, he showed us he can run a little bit better than we thought, particularly at the beginning of the season,” Morris said. “Each week, he’s able to go out there and get better and better. And I am so proud of him.”
Cousins should be expected to only build upon what he has done so far as the Falcons travel to New Orleans to face the Saints at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday.
Check out the team’s depth chart, injury report and updated 53-man roster heading into Week 10.
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