Kirk Cousins ​​defies doubters of Falcons' last-minute comeback

Philadelphia – Smooth, confident, controlled.

That's how Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews described quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​during the team's game-winning drive in the final two minutes of the team's comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football.”

“He didn't blink,” Matthews said.

Cousins ​​acted like he was on the practice field.

“You can tell he's been there before,” said Matthews, an 11-year veteran who began his career playing for Matt Ryan in Atlanta.

All things Falcons: The latest Atlanta Falcons news, schedules, rosters, stats, injury updates and more.

It was still an unfamiliar result for Cousins ​​in a familiar environment – ​​he's now faced the Eagles 12 times as a pro (record: 7-5), with eight of those contests coming at Lincoln Financial Field. It was his 14th “MNF” game, and for a player whose reputation was less than stellar in prime time, the game under the lights was another chance to show why he deserves a $100 million guarantee from the Falcons as a free agent this offseason. Despite coming off a torn Achilles tendon.

Cousins ​​is now 4-1 in his last five “MNF” appearances. After a stroke of luck when Eagles running back Saquon Barkley threw a wide-open third-down pass to give the Falcons 40 extra seconds to erase a six-point deficit, Cousins ​​drove the Falcons 70 yards in six plays. He hit Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown that tied the game.

“Kirk was making great throws,” said cornerback Darius Slay, who was beaten by London on his way to the front right pylon for the crucial score. “You have to tip your hat to him.”

Yongho Ku's 48-yard extra point — a 15-yard penalty was due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by London — was the difference.

“Straight politeness,” London said of Cousins. “He knows what he's doing. We trust him. Wherever he puts the ball, we have to catch it.”

Cousins ​​finished 20-of-29 with 241 passing yards and two touchdowns. Most of the damage came in the second half, when he was 13-for-16 with 166 yards and a 149.5 passer rating.

While facing doubts about whether he had fully recovered from his season-ending Achilles injury last year after taking almost every snap out of the shotgun or pistol formation in a Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cousins ​​appeared to move comfortably, taking snaps at center-game. Including the first three – and performing play-action. The Falcons were in the shotgun for 30 of 58 offensive plays, including six on the final possession.

The key drive of the game began at the Falcons' 30-yard line with 1:39 left. Cousins ​​hit Kyle Pitts hard for an 11-yard gain to open the series. He then connected with Darnell Mooney on nearly identical out routes down the left sideline for pickups of 21 and 26 yards, respectively. Three plays later, London was celebrating (extra).

“It reminds you when you're at practice, running a two-minute drill, everything is clicking,” Matthews said. “It's easier said than done, but to take that into the game, you smooth it out, that's a testament to how we've prepared. We were ready for this moment.”

Coming from behind on the road in one of the league's toughest environments builds determination and grit, Cousins ​​said, “as the year goes on we have to lean on.”

“That's the way NFL football is, you know, and so we've got to get used to it and get comfortable with it, because that's how these games go,” Cousins ​​said, “and we can be more battle-tested and have these moments. , I think it will set us up well for what's coming down the road.”

But winning in “MNF” meant nothing to him.

“I just try to go out and play football, play the best I can, whether it's a Sunday afternoon or, you know, a night game, whatever day of the week it is,” Cousins ​​said.

Head coach Raheem Morris, who earned his first non-interim win as Falcons head coach, said winning in the postseason is important.

“We're a long way from that,” Morris said. “We have to come out here and try to put ourselves in a position to go into those competitive moments where we can show those things. We haven't shown that yet. We've shown it (in) that we've shown the fact that we can go into somebody else's stadium and win a game, and we've shown that we can win on a two-minute drive, and that's an important takeaway for us.”

At the team hotel Sunday night, Cousins ​​ran into Nick Foles — honored Monday for his Super Bowl heroics and serving as the team's honorary captain — and his parents. She hasn't seen Foles' parents since she and Foles were freshmen at Michigan State University in 2007.

Thinking back over the past 17 years brings back many memories for Cousins ​​— and gratitude.

“I kind of reminisced about honoring him tonight, and at the coin toss I told him, 'You know, it worked out.' It worked for both of us,” said Cousins ​​of Falles, who later transferred to the University of Arizona. “And so, I was reflecting a little bit on our journey (Sunday night and Monday).

“So, playing here tonight brought back a lot of memories of my journey, and it was a fun way to win.”