Falcons’ Kirk Cousins approach revealed as Michael Penix Jr. looms over struggling veteran

Kirk Cousins doesn’t have to worry about the bench for the time being.

On Sunday prior to the Falcons game against the Vikings, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Cousins, despite his recent struggles, won’t be benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr.

“They do believe he will bounce back, they believe he’ll be resilient,” Rapoport said of the Falcons. “They want to rally around Cousins.”

In his last three starts prior to Sunday, Cousins has failed to throw a touchdown pass, and instead threw six interceptions to nearly match his total of seven from the previous nine weeks combined.

It marks the coldest skid in the 36-year-old’s 13-year NFL career.

It only continued against his former team on Sunday.

Cousins completed 23 of 37 pass attempts for 344 yards but with no passing touchdowns to report in the Vikings 42-21 rout of the Falcons.

The skid isn’t something the Falcons envisioned when signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract including a $50 million signing bonus from the Vikings.

In six of his seasons in Minnesota, Cousins led the team to three winning seasons, including two playoff appearances in 2019 and 2022.

Cousins is also the first player with 100 or more pass attempts, zero pass touchdowns, at least six interceptions, and at least one pick-six across three games since Brett Favre endured a similar skid in Week 14 through Week 16 while with the Packers in 2005.

The lefty Penix, who was selected No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Washington, has played in two of the Falcons’ blowout losses this year — to the Broncos and Seahawks.

Across the two games of nine collective snaps, he has completed 3 of 5 pass attempts for 38 yards, including three first downs, but zero touchdowns and interceptions.

The shortcomings of Cousins have cost Atlanta to slip to a 6-7 record to sit in second place of the NFC South behind the Buccaneers (7-6).