It solely took one drive to see the distinction. The Falcons smoked the Giants 34-7 on Sunday behind a commanding efficiency from their rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
It was Penix’s first begin after the staff ejected on the Kirk Cousins expertise, with the Falcons anticipated to launch the veteran this offseason. On the sideline, Cousins stood along with his helmet on, wanting like a dejected determine. On the sector, Penix threw lasers, displaying the Falcons what they’ve been lacking for nearly two months: a reliable beginning quarterback.
Transferring on from a face-of-the-franchise quarterback too early hurts, however not practically as badly as ready too lengthy.
And make no mistake: Cousins was signed to be the face of the Falcons and to carry Atlanta to the promised land. After years of wading round in quarterback purgatory, the Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180m contract final offseason with $90m assured regardless of the quarterback recovering from an achilles harm. They invested closely in free company within the hopes they may microwave a contender in a awful NFC South.
However the plan was a bust. Cousins by no means regarded like the identical participant who lit it up in Minnesota – a fringe top-10 quarterback on his finest day, even when he was able to gagging away video games. He by no means recovered from the achilles tear he sustained with the Vikings final season. Consequently, the Falcons have been compelled to show to an unorthodox system that didn’t ask Cousins to maneuver or throw or, by the tip, routinely even plant his toes.
The early-season returns have been ugly. Cousins limped round video games. He was hesitant within the pocket. He struggled to maneuver away from pass-rushers. At occasions, his athleticism was so shot that he struggled to dash handy the ball off to operating backs on primary stretch performs. The Falcons’ offense turned stilted and arrhythmic, bouncing forwards and backwards between one which suited the staff’s younger playmakers and one which Cousins may bodily run.
There was a hope that Cousins’ achilles would strengthen all through the season. These early struggles have been rust, we have been instructed. However by the ultimate midpoint of the yr, the underside fell out of Atlanta’s offense. Cousins may now not plant and fireplace. The power in his arm eroded. His decision-making, at all times erratic, started to be punished at the next clip. He threw so many geese that even late-stage Peyton Manning was beginning to wince. In his closing 5 video games, Cousins completed with 14 turnovers to at least one landing.
Past the stat line have been the visuals. Cousins regarded like a shell of his former self. Strip off the nameplate, and the Falcons had a quarterback struggling to maneuver or throw or function an NFL offense. And the Falcons’ offense was sapped of any creativity, attempting to scheme round a cement-footed quarterback who crumbled when strain got here calling. Cousins may now not bob or weave within the pocket to keep away from bone-crushing photographs. For 5 weeks, Cousins struggled on. However by the tip, watching him shuffle by way of video games was simply unhappy.
The Falcons instructed us what they considered Cousins in his closing recreation. Atlanta had 23 first-and-10s in opposition to the Raiders. They ran the ball on 22 of these downs, attempting to cover Cousins as a lot as attainable. On his sole go try on first down, Cousins threw a barf-inducing interception.
That flipped on Sunday. With Penix underneath middle, the Falcons have been in a position to develop their offense. In every single place you regarded, they have been rolling the pocket, difficult outdoors the numbers, hitting the intermediate degree of the sector and trusting Penix rookie to fizz the ball into tight home windows. They tried seven first-down passes within the first half on Sunday, earlier than turning to the run to shut out a blowout victory.
Penix rewarded his play-caller with a mature efficiency. He navigated muddy pockets like a veteran, prolonged performs when he may and manipulated defenders along with his eyes, spraying the ball to all ranges of the sector.
All the standard caveats apply. Outdoors of a spiky pass-rush, the Giants stink. They’re racing to the No 1 general decide within the upcoming draft. The Falcons protection scored two touchdowns, harassing Giants’ quarterback Drew Lock into field-flipping errors. Nonetheless, in his first begin, Penix proved that Atlanta’s insurance coverage plan – drafting Penix No 8 general after signing Cousins to a mega-money deal – was a savvy ploy.
The field rating is not going to leap off the display. Penix completed the sport finishing 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. However sloppy drops price Penix a gaudier stat line, and his interception got here on a tipped throw to Kyle Pitts, with the tight finish successfully launching the ball to a ready Giants DB.
Given the circumstances, although, Penix’s debut was as robust because the Falcons may have hoped for. With the specter of a downfield passing recreation, Bijan Robinson had house to do injury beneath on the bottom and thru the air. Atlanta’s all-world again completed with 103 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, aided by the specter of his new quarterback.
Popping out of school, Penix’s prime two traits have been avoiding adverse performs and difficult defenses vertically down the sector. He was one of the best deep-ball thrower in school, and one of many prime sack-avoidance artists. In his first begin, each translated to the professionals: he completed with a median depth of goal over 9 yards, virtually double what Cousins averaged in his closing few weeks; and he was not sacked, shortly triggering the ball to an escape valve each time the Giants’ pass-rush got here careening house.
Loyalty is soccer rhetoric, however solely not often a truth. The Falcons caught with Cousins both due to a hand-shake promise the vet would a minimum of be given this season to begin after the group chosen Penix, or as a result of the monetary ramifications have been too tough to abdomen, or as a result of Penix regarded like a multitude in follow. Primarily based on Sunday, we are able to rule out the final possibility. Sticking with Cousins was a few preconceived plan, to wring the final drops out of an ageing quarterback earlier than handing the franchise to the younger pup.
However the Falcons let the method drag out too lengthy. By refusing to maneuver to Penix earlier within the season, they might have robbed themselves of a playoff berth. Even the medium-term outlook might be difficult, with the Falcons set to pay a gnarly sum of money to Cousins to play for some other place subsequent season – cash they won’t be able to make use of to encompass Penix with expertise.
The Falcons are nonetheless within the playoff combine. With two video games left, they will nonetheless pip the Bucs to the division title. With Cousins, these hopes would both be over or fruitless. What’s the purpose of creating the dance should you’re going to get boat-raced by the Lions or Eagles? With Penix, they nonetheless have an opportunity and might construct towards the longer term – they usually may show to be a pesky underdog if they will squeeze into the playoffs. The one remaining query: what took so lengthy?
MVP of the week
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders. Daniels threw 5 touchdowns within the Commanders’ come-from-behind win over the Eagles. Washington turned the ball over 5 occasions in opposition to the league’s finest protection. However Daniels led the staff to 22 factors within the fourth quarter, together with a clutch closing drive that noticed the rookie hit a nine-yard landing strike to Jamison Crowder to offer the Commies a lead with six seconds left.
The Eagles misplaced quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion on their second drive, however have been in management for a lot of the sport. The primary half was dominated by Saquon Barkley and the Eagles’ offense, however that flipped within the second half. The Commanders loaded as much as gradual Philly’s operating recreation and compelled the Eagles to place the ball within the arms of backup quarterback Kenny Pickett. However with Pickett misfiring and a few expensive drops, it was over to the Eagles’ protection to close the sport down. As an alternative, they coughed up a number of chunk performs on defensive miscues, permitting Daniels to march Washington’s offense down the sector.
Daniels turned solely the seventh rookie to throw 5 touchdowns in a recreation, throwing for 258 yards and tacking on 81 yards on 9 carries. Daniels continues to show he’s greater than a flashy rookie, however somebody who can navigate his staff by way of tight video games, and a quarterback with the suitable antenna for when to stay to the pocket and bail out. He picked up a vital 28-yard scramble on fourth-and-11 with the Commanders trailing by 13, teeing up the last-second win.
“I like these kind of conditions,” Daniels stated after the sport. “When it’s on skinny ice and performs should be made, that’s what you reside for – should you actually love this sport.”
The defeat means Philly did not clinch the NFC East, and have fallen a recreation behind the Lions and Vikings within the race for the NFC’s No 1 seed.
Video of the week
Detroit’s offense is waxing folks, and having enjoyable alongside the way in which. For the eighth time this season, the Lions scored greater than 30 factors, blasting the Bears 34-17 on the street. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson placed on one other clinic in entrance of his (potential) future employers, rolling out his newest wacky creation for a landing.
That, as Scorsese would say, is cinema. Not content material with eligible linemen and reversion passes and the standard model of NFL fakery, Johnson unleashed the faux fumble.
Each a part of it’s lovely. There may be the tuck and roll from operating again Jahmyr Gibbs. Then there may be Jared Goff pretending to stumble whereas the offense barks out in unison “ball, ball, ball,” simulating a fumble. It was sufficient to freeze a single Bears defender, security Jonathan Owens, the participant tasked with protecting tight finish Sam LaPorta. Laporta peeled away, leaking out of his place on the road and up the sector. By the point Goff hit the highest of his drop, LaPorta was cruising into the tip zone to offer Detroit a 20-point lead.
The play was known as “Stumble Bum”, which must be sufficient to earn Johnson an Oscar nod for Finest Director by itself. Goff stated postgame that the decision was impressed by a play Johnson noticed of Jordan Love dropping a snap in opposition to the Bears and nonetheless engineering a giant go play.
In a season stuffed with off-the-wall designs, that is Johnson’s finest. And it issues. Loads of the NFL remains to be beset by outdated pondering – or incompetence. Coaches, with careers and mortgages on the road, coach with concern. Not Johnson. The Lions can win with energy, effectivity, explosiveness or creativity, a mix that also has them on the prime of the NFC regardless of the accidents to the staff’s protection.
Stat of the week
In three seasons with the Jets, Sam Darnold gained 13 video games. With a 27-24 win over the Seahawks on Sunday, Darnold took his win complete to 13 with the Vikings in 15 video games. That ties him with Peyton Manning (2012) and Steve McNair (2006) for probably the most wins by a quarterback of their first season with a brand new staff.
With an injured finger and a rolled ankle, Darnold put collectively one in every of his finest performances of the season, totaling 246 yards with three and no interceptions. Darnold out-dueled Geno Smith within the Battle of Former Jets Quarterbacks, icing the sport with the throw of his profession. With the Vikings trailing late, Darnold climbed by way of the pocket and hit Justin Jefferson between two safeties for a 39-yard rating, all whereas being crushed by two defenders.
The win means the Vikings saved tempo with the Lions on the prime of the NFC. With the Eagles falling to the Commanders, the prospect of a pseudo playoff for the No 1 between one of the best of the NFC North is more and more doubtless.
Elsewhere across the league
The Colts scored 38 factors with solely 11 go makes an attempt in a 38-31 win over the Titans. That’s the fewest for a staff scoring 38 or extra since 2000. Jonathan Taylor eclipsed 200 dashing yards for the second time in his profession, operating over and round a hapless Tennessee defensive entrance. With Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, James Conner, Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Taylor all anchoring their offenses, perhaps operating backs matter in any case.
A raft of groups have been formally eradicated from the playoff race, together with the Cardinals, 49ers and Cowboys. However the Bengals are nonetheless alive after a record-setting day from Joe Burrow. Burrow turned the primary quarterback in league historical past to submit seven straight video games with a minimum of 250 yards and three touchdowns in a 24-6 win over the Browns. Cincy are hanging on by their nails within the AFC. However they’ve gained three straight and might squeeze into the playoffs in the event that they beat the Broncos and Steelers of their closing two video games.
You possibly can add Arizona to the checklist of eradicated groups, too. The Panthers 36-30 time beyond regulation win dumped the Cardinals from playoff consideration. Bryce Younger put collectively one of the best efficiency of his profession, hitting a number of big-time throws underneath strain, creating along with his legs and operating over a defender. After the distress of his rookie season, Younger is now taking part in with a smile, fortunately torching defenses down the sector and scrambling on the bottom. He posted a career-high 68 yards along with his legs on Sunday, main the Panthers to 36 factors in opposition to a protection that had saved opponents to 17.9 factors a recreation since Week 7.
After the story this week about proprietor Woody Johnson’s interference in soccer operations, the Jets issued a rallying cry earlier than their recreation in opposition to the Rams. The end result: 9 factors scored on offense and one other defeat. In the meantime, in Seattle, Sam Darnold and Geno Smith, two former Jets quarterbacks, confronted off within the heavyweight quarterback matchup of the season… simply as everybody predicted.
The Chiefs beat the Texans 27-19 on Saturday, recording their sixteenth consecutive one-score win. Whether or not it’s coronary heart, ability or luck, the Chiefs’ run is objectively bonkers. The Jaguars have 16 one-score wins in all the time since Patrick Mahomes debuted in 2017 – and 5 groups haven’t gained 16 one-score video games this decade. Worryingly for the remainder of the league, KC’s efficiency in opposition to an impressive Texans protection was one of the best their offense has regarded all season.
