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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Workers Author
ATLANTA — As Kirk Cousins ran again by means of Tunnel No. 4 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium late Thursday evening, a small crowd of Atlanta Falcons followers began screaming for his consideration, yelling “Kirk!”
Cousins, who had simply completed the sport of his profession in a 36-30 additional time win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appeared over, smiled and supplied a fast thumbs-up.
These have been the kind of moments the Falcons introduced Cousins to Atlanta for in March and paid him $180 million to tug off — when all of it mattered, within the remaining moments, in additional time, to make the performs that imply wins over losses.
On Thursday evening, Cousins did that in a efficiency that set private and franchise information.
Cousins handed for 509 yards towards Tampa Bay, the primary time he has ever reached that milestone, breaking his private better of 460 yards set two years in the past. He additionally set a Falcons document for passing yards in a sport, snapping a mark set by former Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw for 503 yards in 2016 towards Carolina.
“That is the primary time doing that, however actually, wanted an additional quarter to get there with additional time. However Zac saved placing the ball in my hand, gave me a variety of at-bats,” Cousins stated, referring to Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
“It is wonderful what you are able to do once you’re on the market on the sphere and also you’re getting extra probabilities.”
Coincidentally, it got here on an evening the place Ryan was put within the Falcons’ Ring of Honor at halftime. Cousins had alternative after alternative to interrupt Ryan’s mark. He accomplished passes to seven Falcons, together with a career-high 12 to receiver Drake London for 154 yards and a landing. He additionally accomplished 9 to receiver Darnell Mooney for 105 yards and two touchdowns and 7 to tight finish Kyle Pitts for 88 yards.
At completely different factors, Atlanta’s gamers realized Cousins was onto one thing completely different Thursday evening. To operating again Bijan Robinson, he realized it early within the fourth quarter when Cousins discovered Mooney for his or her second landing.
For Cousins, it got here within the second quarter.
“I threw a pair passes the place I used to be anticipating the place Kyle was going to be, the place Drake was going to be,” Cousins stated. “And I used to be forward of it just a little bit in a great way. Threw it decisively.
“I simply hadn’t been that decisive the primary few weeks. I have been making an attempt to sort of make sure that’s the place they are going and make sure that’s what I am seeing earlier than I let it rip.”
On Thursday, he had the arrogance, understanding and anticipation he’d been searching for, the sort he had in Washington and Minnesota. He had been trying to find it together with his Falcons teammates by means of the primary month of the season. And now, it began to movement. He began to get extra snug.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris described soccer as being “all about confidence,” and every week he stated he has seen Cousins develop into extra assured coming off his season-ending Achilles harm in 2023. On Thursday, there was one other step towards what might be attainable for the Falcons.
Cousins accomplished 42 of 58 passes with 4 touchdowns and one interception. He focused 4 move catchers at the least eight occasions in a back-and-forth sport that noticed 5 lead adjustments.
“That was loopy,” Pitts stated. “And one of many guys threw for 500, in order that was loopy seeing it for myself. He is a real chief like Matt was, and simply to have one other man like that, you possibly can be taught so much from him.”
But it was the man who Cousins focused the least who got here up with the profitable play Thursday evening: KhaDarel Hodge, who has been a depth receiver the vast majority of his profession and made his residing within the NFL as a key particular groups participant who may contribute on offense in a pinch.
Twice, London went out with potential accidents, and twice Hodge entered and made a catch, together with in additional time. Taking the sphere with the offense on the Tampa Bay 45-yard line, Hodge caught a 5-yard hook, rotated and began to dash. Cousins figured it could be a fast achieve they usually’d run one other play. As an alternative, Hodge outran a lot of the Bucs defenders to the tip zone.
Recreation over. Again-to-back wins over NFC South opponents secured. A 500-yard sport for Cousins achieved.
It was Hodge’s second profession receiving landing, and his first since 2022. And afterward he ended up on the shoulders of his teammates.
“I used to be making an attempt to carry again the tears,” Hodge stated. “However they got here out.”
Alternatives like this had been scarce for Hodge. His profession had typically been moments of spelling the star or enjoying small offensive roles. In solely certainly one of his seven NFL seasons did he play greater than 50% of his workforce’s offensive snaps.
Cousins discovered him for the profitable play on an evening the place he routinely discovered his stars. That move to Hodge, Cousins stated, could be memorable. Cousins confirmed what he can do when he is wholesome and given the ball. Time and again, he made the fitting choice and located the fitting participant.
It was sufficient to present the Falcons back-to-back wins, pushing them to 3-2 in a detailed NFC South. And sufficient for the workforce to lastly see what it is able to with its offense and their new quarterback.
