So this is why the ‘Dirty Birds’, the Atlanta Falcons, backed up the Brinks truck and gave Kirk Cousins the $180 million bag, with $100 million guaranteed.
It was a much different outcome than the 36-year-old veteran experienced in Week 1 at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, causing concerns, over reactions and raising eyebrows in the loss about the quarterback’s return to form from a torn Achilles tendon. A cool, calm and collected Cousins orchestrated a last-minute touchdown drive, and the Atlanta Falcons shocked the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans at Lincoln Financial Field with a 22-21 come-from-behind victory on Monday night.
The Falcons were trailing by a field goal, 18-15, and starting a drive from their own 30-yard line with no timeouts remaining in their back pockets and only one minute and 39 seconds left on the clock. With all the pressure on his shoulders, Cousins methodically marched the team down the field like a leader of men in six plays and 65 seconds, connecting with Drake London for the go-ahead touchdown with under 40 seconds to go.
The Eagles failed to respond as quarterback Jalen Hurts was picked off on the team’s last gasp.
“Sometimes the easiest ones are the hardest ones,” London said of the game-winning play after the game on ESPN. “Once I made my move and I was open, just catch the ball and secure it.”
The helter-skelter finish came after a throwback game from the 90s. Both teams showed more confidence and were more comfortable with their ground-and-pound game, before Atlanta vertically opened things up on its last touchdown drive. Philadelphia carried the rock for 186 yards on 37 rushes, while the Falcons were not too shabby in their own right, carving up the Eagles for 152 yards on 28 rushing attempts.
The Eagles were milking the clock and had the opportunity to ice the game late in the fourth.
Facing a third-and-3 from the Atlanta 10-yard line, running back Saquon Barkley inexplicably dropped a pass that most likely would have been good for a first down. Had he converted, Philadelphia could have gone into victory formation to run out the clock. Instead, on fourth down, the Eagles chose to trot out their place kicker Jake Elliott for a chip shot field goal, which cracked the door open for the go-ahead drive.
Embed from Getty Images“I dropped the ball,” Barkley told reporters after the game. “I let my team down today.”
Cousins finished the night completing 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards and two scores, a vast upgrade from his Falcons debut in Week 1. Hurts was 23-of-30 for only 183 yards and a touchdown. He also showed off his dynamic running ability, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown.
The Falcons’ signal-caller said despite the win, he has “got to be better.”
“I didn’t feel like I was sharp enough today, not accurate enough,” Cousins said to ESPN’s sideline reporter Lisa Salters. “But that last drive hopefully will give us a boost going into next week. We can build on that.”
Philadelphia fell to 1-1 with the loss and will face Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints and their electric offense in Week 3, who have put up 91 points in the first two weeks.
Atlanta improved to 1-1 with the victory. The Falcons next opponent will be Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football.”
