Room for Improvement: SI Ranks Falcons' QB-Head Coach Duo Middle of the Road

The Atlanta Falcons will enter the 2024 NFL season with a new head coach in Raheem Morris and quarterback in Kirk Cousins. Many pundits have argued that will make a significant difference for the Falcons in the NFC South this fall.

Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame appears to agree. In his NFL coach-quarterback duos ranking on May 30, Verderame placed the Morris-Cousins combination at No. 17 overall.

Although the Falcons just missed sitting in the top half of the rankings, they were the top-rated NFC South duo.

“If Cousins is healthy, that offense should be dangerous with myriad weapons including Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.”

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“If Cousins is healthy, that offense should be dangerous with myriad weapons including Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.”

Verderame’s ranking of No. 17 for Morris-Cousins is about in line with similar offseason lists from other outlets. In a recent quarterback rankings from CBS Sports, Cousins sat at No. 14.

Assuming Verderame agrees with that CBS Sports list, it makes sense that Morris slightly lowered the duo’s ranking. Morris had a lot of success as a defensive coordinator in recent years, but as a young head coach more than a decade ago, he struggled with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Morris also hired an first-time offensive coordinator in Zach Robinson. Robinson is an unknown that could turn into a positive by the end of the season.

Morris led the Buccaneers to a 17-31 record in three seasons. He also received an opportunity as an interim head coach with the Falcons during 2020. Atlanta went 4-7 with him at the helm.

Morris will get a second chance with Atlanta in a division that Verderame doesn’t appear to have high expectations for this season. Verderame ranked last year’s division champion QB-head coach duo – Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles – at No. 20 on his list.

The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers were both in the bottom five on the list. With new head coach Dave Canales and second-year quarterback Bryce Young, Verderame ranked the Panthers at second-to-last.

Interestingly, the Morris-Cousins duo was also the top rated new QB-head coach duo on Verderame’s list. Of the other three new duos, the next closest to No. 17 was the Washington Commanders with Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels.

The Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots also have a new head coach and quarterback since the beginning of last season. Verderame ranked the QB-head coach duos from those franchises both in the bottom three.

In last place, New England was the only team behind Carolina on the list.

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