The Atlanta Falcons misplaced their Week 1 matchup, however their new quarterback says his harm is to not blame. Kirk Cousins says the Achilles he tore in Week 8 final season feels “good” and isn’t a motive the Falcons could not pull off a win towards the Pittsburgh Steelers final week.
“I really feel good. The Achilles feels good,” Cousins said Thursday. “I really feel like I can transfer and push as I usually would.”
The 36-year-old went 16 of 26 for 155 yards with one landing, two interceptions and was sacked twice. Cousins had simply 19 yards after halftime, the worst second-half complete in his 13-year profession.
Cousins says it was extra about not enjoying for a big a part of final season and persevering with to be restricted for elements of the offseason than it was about his well being.
There are quite a few attainable causes for Cousins’ struggles, from his age, to break day, to a brand new system. The veteran wants extra stay motion after lacking greater than half of final season, and he’s clearly adjusting to being again on the sector.
The Falcons working formations Cousins is not sometimes used to working in was one trace that he will not be cellular sufficient for his typical type of offense. There was no play-action go and he was beneath heart little or no.
Cousins clarified the change, saying it had nothing to do along with his Achilles or capacity to maneuver round.
“We began with pistol again in April,” he said. “That was a giant elementary philosophy, speaking with our offensive line coach, speaking with our coaches about what we wish to do schematically.”
Cousins can also be an ageing quarterback on a brand new group, and as we’ve got seen they’re working issues in another way than Cousins has previously, so there’s an adjustment there.
First-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson stated he’s “definitely not involved with Kirk’s mobility in any respect” and that the plan is to all the time change issues round offensively.
“Among the run sport and the way we set it up, we’ll change these issues week to week,” Robinson stated. “We’re by no means married to at least one factor or the opposite. These issues will ever be evolving, primarily based on the sport plan of that week. However definitely just like the pistol. We did it a ton with the Rams final 12 months, and it is one thing that provides you a terrific versatility throughout the board, so we’ll proceed to seek out these spots to combine it in.”
Cousins did not put the blame on his harm, however did put a number of the blame on himself.
“I acquired to play higher, I acquired to function higher and I used to be most likely on the heart of it not being clear and crisp,” Cousins stated. “So, that annoyed me deeply, as a result of I can place such an significance on that, in working the operation clear and crisp. And that is what must be higher Monday.”
The Falcons have a giant problem forward of them, dealing with the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The Eagles’ defensive position did not shine final week, however they’re often an issue for opposing offenses. Even when Cousins is ready to transfer round, the Eagles’ capacity to create strain might grow to be a giant downside.
The Falcons’ offensive line struggled final week and the group as an entire remains to be constructing chemistry. Cousins will seemingly rely lots on Bijan Robinson, who led the group in speeding final week (68 yards).
The Falcons and Eagles face off on “Monday Night time Soccer.”
