Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons pulled off an exciting 36-30 extra time victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night time, capped by the veteran signal-caller hitting large receiver KhaDarel Hodge for a 45-yard landing.
Cousins joined Colin Cowherd on Friday’s version of “The Herd” to offer perception into Atlanta’s massive win and share how he and his teammates celebrated the win that moved them to 3-2 on the season and first place within the NFC South.
“Last night time I acquired residence about 2:30 within the morning,” Cousins mentioned, laughing. “It was an extended however enjoyable night time. Now we’ve an extended weekend to relaxation and I’ll be hoisted up on my sofa watching everybody else play soccer.”
Cousins completed the sport with 509 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, one interception, and a passer score of 114.8, finishing 72.4 p.c of his passes. Atlanta took over at their very own 20-yard line with 1:14 remaining within the fourth quarter and no timeouts. After spiking the ball with one second remaining, the Falcons acquired into place for kicker Younghoe Koo to try the game-tying 52-yard subject purpose as time expired. Koo despatched issues into extra time and Atlanta prevailed.
Cousins tore down his mentality on that last-ditch drive of the fourth quarter.
“You have faith in your coaching and also you return to your course of,” he shared. “Koo being the kicker, you recognize you’ve a sure grace in how far you must go to get that subject purpose. We’re fairly properly skilled in these conditions the place the ball needs to be out of bounds or in direction of the tip zone and when we’ve to time it, so it was executed properly.
“Referees have gotten a lot better at permitting individuals to time the ball shortly. I feel two or three years in the past that referee might need taken too lengthy and we would not have had an opportunity. Kudos to them for his or her kindness in having the ability to do it in a approach that hardly touches the ball and permits us to behave shortly.”
Kirk Cousins appears to be like again on the Falcons’ tying 2-minute drill
Cousins has totaled 1,373 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions and a 93.7 passer score this season, finishing 67.2 p.c of his passes. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million ($100 million assured) contract with Atlanta in March after his 2023 season with Minnesota was minimize quick after eight video games because of a torn Achilles tendon.
Cousins, 36, defined how he continues to really feel extra snug post-injury because the season progresses.
“It had much less to do with the Achilles tendon … (and) extra to do with the truth that I hadn’t performed since Week 8 of final yr,” Cousins mentioned. “I had been carrying the crimson shirt in coaching all these months and hadn’t performed a pre-season recreation… There have been simply a number of simulated issues that weren’t actual. Time, I had some rust to knock off , I feel each week the previous couple of weeks have been an enchancment, and I feel final night time we took a giant step ahead.
“Now the problem is: can we proceed to take care of that normal as we transfer ahead? Last night time I felt a distinct stage of anticipation and performed quick – I’m again to my previous self. I felt we have been on monitor, however we hadn’t closed the hole that we heard till final night time.”
Cousins, a 13-year NFL veteran, additionally mentioned he enjoys enjoying with Atlanta’s younger offensive playmakers, who embody operating again Bijan Robinson (22), large receiver Drake London (23) and tight finish Kyle Pitts (23).
Atlanta opened the common season with an 18-10 residence loss to Pittsburgh, which didn’t rating a landing. The Falcons then beat Philadelphia on the street, taking a 22-21 lead with 34 seconds left within the fourth quarter. After a 22-17 residence loss to Kansas City, which noticed the Falcons flip the ball over on downs on the Chiefs’ 16-yard line with 51 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter, Atlanta beat rival New Orleans with Koo making a go-ahead, 58-yard subject purpose with two seconds left within the fourth quarter.
