The Falcoholic
We kick off our 2024 roster review series with a look at the quarterback position, which featured an experienced veteran in Kirk Cousins and an exciting rookie in Michael Penix Jr.
2024 was another year of preseason hope and regular season disappointment for Atlanta Falcons fans. After a hot 6-3 start, Atlanta collapsed to 8-9 and missed the playoffs despite sweeping the division-leading Buccaneers.
Much of that had to do with the quarterback position. Atlanta gave huge money to veteran Kirk Cousins in an effort to “win now”, all while drafting an exciting rookie in Michael Penix Jr. at eight overall. Obviously, things didn’t go according to plan...but the future might be quite a bit brighter than the past. Let’s kick off our 2024 roster review series with a look at how Cousins and Penix fared this season.
Age: 36 | Experience: 13 seasons
2024 Stats: 14 starts | 303/453 (66.9%) passing, 3508 yards (250.6 YPG), 18 passing TDs, 16 interceptions, 7.7 YPA, 6.88 NY/A | 28 sacks, 5.82% sack rate | 23 rushes, 0 yards, 13 fumbles | 3 4th-quarter comebacks, 3 game-winning drives
If you took the 16 interceptions and 13 fumbles out of Kirk Cousins stat line, you’d probably be shocked that the Falcons elected to bench him in favor of the rookie Michael Penix Jr. after 14 games. Cousins would easily have crested 4,000 yards and 20 passing TDs in a full season. Not incredible numbers in this day and age, but certainly respectable ones.
Sadly, turnovers were the story of Cousins’ 2024 season.
An ominous opening week performance against the Steelers was quickly forgotten after Cousins rattled off a string of impressive games. A last-minute comeback on the road against the Eagles. Keeping Atlanta in striking distance of taking down the Chiefs. A thrilling, franchise-record passing day in an overtime victory over the Bucs. The Week 1 loss and another three turnover day in a blowout loss to the Seahawks were concerning, but mere footnotes on what was looking like a resurgent campaign for the veteran passer.
Cousins would take Atlanta to a 6-3 record before the wheels would start to fall off. From Weeks 10-14, the Falcons were blown out twice en route to an 0-4 record—and Cousins would throw zero passing touchdowns and eight (!!) interceptions. The team would give him one last opportunity to right the ship against the lowly Raiders in Week 15, but Cousins compiled just 112 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and another fumble.
Michael Penix Jr. was given the keys afterwards—more on him below—and Cousins was relegated to the bench. The question on everyone’s mind: is Cousins no longer capable of being an NFL starter? The answer is unclear and depends on if you believe more in his midseason slump or his early season resurgence. I do think there’s a solid chance that Cousins is probably somewhere in between his highs and lows, and in that case, I still think he’s got potential as...
