Throughout this season when the Atlanta Falcons have gotten their running game going they haven’t been able to use it to open up their passing game, and in games where they’ve been good throwing the ball they haven’t been able to use that to open up the run game, but with Kirk Cousins now stepping in as Atlanta’s starting quarterback The Morning Shift thinks that can change, and explained why earlier today.
“To see Kirk [Cousins] come out multiple times in however many snaps he played in the second half the other day and go under center what felt like every other snap and run wide zone and do different things like that from under center, the thought of a 100% healthy Kirk Cousins going under center and possibly, just maybe a smidge of bootleg thrown in there is just getting me riled up. We’ve got to utilize it, we’ve gotta utilize under center, we’ve got to utilize that in short yardage stuff.” Mike Johnson said
Mike admits that he’s not necessarily excited about Kirk Cousins having to step in at quarterback for the rest of the season, especially this week without Drake London, but he does say that there is a bright side to it all.
“If there is a shiny small sliver of bright side it’s that I think they can start integrating this run game with this passing game just a little bit better with him and some of the capabilities he does have in the play-action game.” Mike said
Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris and Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson both admitted that the offense will be different with Cousins at the helm, and if it means using more formations, utilizing Kirk’s experience working from under center, taking advantage of his prowess in the play-action passing game, integrating some bootlegs, and possibly doing a better job of marrying the run game and the passing game, it may not be such a bad thing after all.