Kirk Cousins places collectively clutch drive to steer Falcons over Eagles

PHILADELPHIA — Kirk Cousins exorcised his “Monday Evening Soccer” demons and received the Atlanta Falcons their essential first win of the season in a single drive.

Down six and with 1:39 remaining, Cousins took the Falcons 70 yards and located broad receiver Drake London for a 7-yard, go-ahead landing with 34 seconds left. Atlanta escaped Lincoln Monetary Discipline with a 22-21 victory in Week 2. Cousins moved to 4-10 on Monday nights and has received 4 of his previous 5 MNF video games.

Cousins was 20-of-29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Falcons working again Bijan Robinson had 97 yards on 14 carries and 122 whole yards from scrimmage. The Eagles had gone forward with a 1-yard landing run by quarterback Jalen Hurts with 6:47 left.

Listed here are a very powerful issues to know from Monday night time for each groups:

For many of eight quarters, the Falcons seemed like they actually wanted to determine issues out on offense.

For the second straight week, the crew sputtered on that aspect of the ball, which was purported to be a serious energy with the addition of quarterback Kirk Cousins. However Cousins had but to return to type after dropping most of his 2023 season to a torn proper Achilles. And, regardless of a potent dashing assault, Atlanta was not in a position to convert on third down or within the purple zone.

Till the closing moments of the sport. Cousins took the crew 70 yards and linked with broad receiver Drake London for the go-ahead landing with simply 34 seconds left. It didn’t erase the uneven play of Atlanta’s offense over the primary two video games. However it was sufficient to place a notch within the win column, on the very least.

The Falcons actually wanted a victory in opposition to the Eagles. Over the following few weeks, issues may get dicey, particularly with the best way the crew had been enjoying. Atlanta hosts the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs subsequent week in prime time. After that? The Falcons welcome the archrival New Orleans Saints after which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Each groups, Atlanta’s NFC South foes, are at the moment undefeated.

Cousins and the Falcons must hope that last-minute drive will now be the rule, and never the exception. It is the NFL, and issues get late early round right here.

Promising development: Bijan Robinson was a focus of the crew’s offense, which was a criticism of the Falcons’ playcalling in 2023. The second-year working again turned the primary Falcons working again to have 100 or extra yards from scrimmage in every of the crew’s first two video games of a season since Michael Turner in 2011.

Eye-popping stat: Cousins has 51 cross touchdowns in opposition to the blitz over the previous 5 seasons, which is tied for probably the most within the NFL throughout that interval with Josh Allen. Patrick Mahomes is third with 47. That is a glimpse at what the Falcons may have if Cousins returns to pre-injury type.

Largest gap within the recreation plan: The Falcons’ secondary offered adequate protection, and the cross rush had its moments, however Hurts was in a position to improvise and create large performs together with his ft. Atlanta had no reply for him, and it resulted in Hurts changing two large fourth downs, three essential third downs and scoring a landing together with his legs. — Marc Raimondi

Subsequent recreation: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Life with out receiver A.J. Brown is usually a slog. The Eagles have been reminded of that in Monday night time’s slugfest in opposition to the Falcons as Brown sat out with a hamstring harm that’s anticipated to sideline him for a few video games.

Nonetheless, it appeared that they had achieved sufficient to muscle previous the Falcons — after which the wheels got here off. Atlanta mounted a lightning-quick six-play, 70-yard drive in 1:05 to stun the capability Lincoln Monetary Discipline crowd and drop the Eagles to 1-1.

The street will get harder from right here. They play on the red-hot New Orleans Saints after which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier than a Week 5 bye.

Adversity has hit this crew early. Following a 1-6 collapse down the stretch final season, all eyes will probably be on whether or not the Eagles are in a position to decide up the items after a intestine punch of a loss.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Brutal loss. The win was within the Eagles’ palms earlier than Atlanta ripped it away with a six-play, 70-yard drive within the closing moments. A final-ditch effort by the Eagles’ offense led to a Hurts interception.

Pivotal play: Nursing a three-point lead with beneath two minutes remaining, the Eagles face a third-and-3 deep in Atlanta territory. Hurts had Saquon Barkley open within the flat, however Barkley dropped it, forcing Philadelphia to accept a area purpose. Moments later, the Falcons mounted their game-winning drive.

Troubling development: The Eagles’ edge rushers struggled to place warmth on the quarterback for a second straight week. A lot of the main focus will probably be on Bryce Huff, the previous Jet who signed a three-year, $51 million deal in free company to assist offset the eventual departure of Haason Reddick. He has zero pressures via two video games.

Eye-popping stat: Kirk Cousins was pressured on simply 2 of 14 dropbacks (14%) within the first half, the bottom price he has confronted in any half since Week 1 of 2023. — Tim McManus

Subsequent recreation: at New Orleans Saints (1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)