Michael Penix Jr. is the brand new beginning quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins is heading to the bench, coach Raheem Morris introduced in a press release Tuesday evening.
“After overview we now have made the choice Michael Penix would be the Atlanta Falcons beginning quarterback shifting ahead,” Morris stated within the assertion. “This was a soccer resolution and we’re absolutely centered on making ready the group for Sunday’s recreation towards the New York Giants.”
The Falcons beat the Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 on Monday evening to snap a four-game dropping streak. However Cousins was simply 11-of-17 passing for 112 yards with a landing and an interception. He has 9 interceptions and only one landing cross in his previous 5 video games.
Cousins did not throw on first down a single time within the first half Monday evening, the primary time that has occurred in his 13-year profession. He threw on first right down to open the second half and it resulted in an interception by Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane. Working backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier mixed for 34 carries, which was the majority of the group’s offense.
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After the sport, Cousins stated he needed to play higher, and that Morris indicating as a lot in his postgame information convention was stating the “apparent.”
Cousins, 36, is finishing 64.7% of his passes with 18 touchdowns and a league-high 16 interceptions. He additionally has 12 fumbles, tied for many within the NFL with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The Falcons signed Cousins, who was coming off a torn proper Achilles that ended his 2023 season in Week 8, to a four-year, $180 million contract within the offseason. About $100 million of that’s assured, although most of that cash comes off the books by 2026. The Falcons pays Cousins $62.5 million this season.
Penix, 24, led Washington to the nationwide championship recreation final season earlier than the Falcons chosen him at No. 8 in April’s NFL draft. He accomplished 65.4% of his passes with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his closing yr with the Huskies. His 4,903 passing yards have been essentially the most within the nation.
With regards to enjoying Penix, Morris stated earlier Tuesday, earlier than the change, that the Falcons are “being actually sensible and cautious in how we go about our enterprise,” however would not essentially imagine there’s a draw back to enjoying him at this juncture.
“You can by no means say there is a [downside] to show it over to any individual that you simply put a number of funding into, any individual that you simply introduced in right here, any individual you have accomplished some issues with, any individual that [has] stated nothing however the correct issues since they have been right here,” Morris stated of Penix.
The Falcons host the 2-12 Giants on Sunday. At 7-7, Atlanta remains to be within the playoff hunt, although the four-game dropping streak despatched the group plummeting from its first-place perch within the NFC South.
When the Falcons drafted Penix, Morris and basic supervisor Terry Fontenot made it clear that Cousins was the quarterback of the current and Penix could be their quarterback of the long run. Cousins was caught off guard by the draft choose after being knowledgeable of it only a few minutes prior, although he texted Penix later that evening and the 2 solid a relationship this season.
Cousins and Penix reside on the identical avenue in suburban Georgia and generally carpool to the group airplane for street video games.
Earlier this month, Penix stated he was supporting Cousins and believed he would flip issues round. However he stated he could be prepared if the Falcons wanted him.
“I’ve to be [ready], since you by no means know when the chance [comes],” Penix stated in early December. “So, I at all times keep prepared, however on the finish of the day, like I stated, it is less than me. I simply obtained to proceed to be prepared, proceed to remain prepared for that second every time that’s.”
