In an unexpected turn during Sunday’s game, Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins entered the field in the final part of the match against the Carolina Panthers.
The head coach, Raheem Morris, was clear in stating that there is no competition for the quarterback position.
Cousins replaced Michael Penix Jr. with 10:44 left on the clock, in a game where the Falcons were down 27-0 against their NFC South division rivals.
In their first series, Cousins failed to advance the ball significantly, and Atlanta lost possession after failing to gain the necessary yards.
The final result was a 30-0 defeat for the Falcons, who were considered favorites before the match.
Cousins, who was the Falcons’ starting quarterback last season after signing a significant contract, was replaced after the team selected Penix in the draft. Cousins led the Falcons to a 6-3 season start before a losing streak. He was benched in Week 16, after a series of games with multiple interceptions. Penix was named the starter and performed well in the last three games, although the Falcons failed to qualify for the playoffs. Cousins was expected to be released or traded in the offseason, but the Falcons opted to keep him as a backup, a high-cost backup, as Cousins will receive $27.5 million guaranteed this season. Cousins finished the game with 5 of 7 passes completed for 79 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions. Penix had issues with his headset in the first half, but the situation improved as the game went on. Overall, he missed several passes he should have completed, and the offense looked ineffective.I never agree with not playing. At the end of the day, I listened to my head coach, and he did what he thought was best for the team and the decision he made. So I have to respect him and be there to support Kirk whenever he’s on the field. He does the same for me.
Michael Penix Jr.
