Kirk Cousins Struggles in First Game with Falcons; T.J. Watt Makes His Presence Felt

The Kirk Cousins era began with the Atlanta Falcons. This era stumbled as The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Falcons - 18-10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The veteran quarterback signed a substantial $180 million contract in the offseason but had difficulties throughout the game. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards and threw one touchdown.




This performance was notably lacklustre in the second half, managing only 19 passing yards. This was a career low for the four-time Pro Bowler. This game marked Cousins' return to action since he suffered a torn Achilles that occurred in Week 8 of 2023 NFL season.

Falcons' strategy to call only one play from under center indicated the aim was to veteran quarterback. Falcons coach Raheem Morris downplayed these concerns.

According to ESPN, he said, "I feel like Kirk is healthy. He's been healthy since he's been here... With Kirk being here, we've been doing the same thing since he's been here, and that's how we've planned on playing and we've played that way throughout. "We've played that way for a minute, and we've done a bunch of different things in our case and everything we're going to do is figuring out how to win this football game," Morris maintained that the use of playaction passes was limited deliberately. This was not a reflection of Cousin's health.

The decision proved costly. Watt delivered a standout performance and had three quarterback hits. He had two tackles for loss and got one sack.

A fumble recovery by him sealed the deal. His dominant display has positioned him as early contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

The Falcons will need to reassess their offensive strategy. It's needed before their Week 2 matchup with Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles’ formidable pass rush led to Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love's sprain. This injury highlights the challenge Falcons face..