Atlanta Falcons Provide Cover for Struggling Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons coaches are coming to the defense of struggling quarterback Kirk Cousins amidst a three-game-losing streak.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown an NFL-high 13 interceptions this season. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris hasn't been shy in his evaluation of quarterback Kirk Cousins and the four-interception nightmare he experienced in Atlanta's Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

After the game, Morris said it's difficult to win when the offense has four turnovers. During his press conference Wednesday, he was similarly blunt on Cousins's performance.

"We didn't play well, particularly well at quarterback," Morris said. "And not many times can you absolutely say that to your guy, and you talk to him in the right way, in the right tone, and it's all agreed upon on what needs to happen and what needs to get better for us to keep going."

The Falcons Podcast: Spotify | Apple Pods | iHeart

It was, in Morris's words, one of the worst games in the 13-year NFL career of Cousins, who completed 24-of-39 passes for 245 yards and finished his third consecutive game without a touchdown pass, the longest drought in his time as a professional.

His four interceptions -- all of which came in Chargers territory with three being in the second half -- also tied a career high, with the last coming a decade prior.

Perhaps uncoincidentally, the Falcons have lost each of their past three games, watching as their 6-3 record and two-game lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South transformed to 6-6 and a tie atop the division.

Cousins is an easy scapegoat. So is Morris. The latter said it merely comes with the territory.

"Everything starts with me," Morris said. "Obviously the quarterback and the head coach get all the blame for all those type of things, and they also get all the credit. And when we were winning, we got all the credit, and now we deserve all the blame, and now we've got to go out there and fix it."

It may be territorial, but is it fair?

Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson doesn't think so. There's no consistent theme, he said, in Atlanta's three consecutive losses.

In a 20-17 defeat to the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 10, Cousins went 23-for-38 passing for 306 yards, but he tossed a crucial interception late in the fourth quarter. Robinson said Cousins played well and clean, but admitted others will focus on the interception.

Atlanta's 38-6 loss to the Denver Broncos the week after was an offensive and defensive meltdown, one in which Cousins went 18-for-27 passing for 173 yards, his second-lowest mark this season, and one interception.

Robinson said to put the blame on himself and the rest of the coaches, as there were "multiple things going on in that game that we just didn't do well." He described it as an outlier for the offense.

Then, given a bye week to rest and, in his words, come back feeling as physically healthy as he has all season, Cousins merely had a bad day against the Chargers.

There's plenty to clean up, said Robinson, who noted it's a performance-based industry and criticism comes with the territory -- but he was asked whether he felt Cousins has received an unfair amount, to which he responded in a simple manner.

"Sure," Robinson said. "Without getting too far into some things that go on, schematically and whatnot, absolutely. The quarterback's always going to get too much praise and too much criticism depending on how the game goes."

The NFL changes each week. Unlike baseball or basketball, where multiple -- or several -- games are played in a seven-day time span, football teams get only one.

As such, opinions fluctuate quickly. Perhaps for Cousins, whose four Pro Bowl nods is tied for fourth-most among active quarterbacks, patience is a virtue.

Even if his recent play suggests otherwise.

Follow FalconsSI on FACEBOOK | X | YouTube