It appears as though the Kirk Cousins Era is already over in Atlanta.
"After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward," head coach Raheem Morris said in the statement on Tuesday, per the team website. "This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday's game against the New York Giants."
Now and moving forward, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft will be at the helm.
Despite earning the win against the Raiders in Vegas on Monday night, Cousins struggled mightily over his last five starts, amassing just one touchdown compared to nine interceptions in that span, to go along with a 1-4 record.
At 7-7, the Falcons are currently on the outside of the playoff bubble, but still alive. Benching Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million ($90 guaranteed), for the rookie Penix is a bold move and is certainly an unexpected development considering how well the veteran QB played last season with the Vikings, and at times this year.
As a result of the news, BetMGM moved the Falcons from -10 favorites to -8.5 favorites against the Giants in Week 16, signaling some skepticism in the rookie by oddsmakers.
I expect that Atlanta will rely on their rushing attack with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier leading the way in Penix’s debut, but it’ll be fascinating to see if his big arm and improved mobility outweighs Cousins’ experience and leadership.
Related
