Kirk Cousins ​​​​of the Falcons – told Michael Penix Jr.: “I would be in his corner”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Less than 24 hours after being benched, Kirk Cousins ​​said he would do what he could to help new Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris made the decision to start Penix on Tuesday after the team earned a 15-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on “Monday Night Football.” Cousins ​​struggled in this contest and was limited in the game plan. He now has nine interceptions in his last five appearances.

“It’s professional football and there’s a standard that I have of myself, that the team has of me, and unfortunately I haven’t met that standard consistently enough,” Cousins ​​said on Wednesday in his first comments since the move . “And so it is what it is, and you go along and you’re still getting ready now – kind of like ‘a game away’ – and supporting Mike and just trying to help our team find a way.” to win the last three to get into the playoffs and that’s what it’s all about.”

Cousins ​​said he spoke to Morris on the phone Tuesday evening and was informed that Penix would begin the crackdown. Afterward, Cousins ​​said he called the rookie.

“Just let him know that I’m on his side and supporting him and trying to help him in any way I can,” Cousins ​​said.

Why did he feel the need to make that call?

“I like shooting elephants in the room, so I just wanted to shoot one,” Cousins ​​said.

Penix said he was shopping at Costco with his girlfriend when he got the call from Morris saying he would be the starter for the rest of the season. He was about to buy a hot dog, but said he wasn’t hungry anymore when he heard the news.

“As you can imagine, it was a lot of nerves, it was exciting, but I’m just super blessed to be in this position, super blessed to be on this team and take advantage of this opportunity,” Penix said.

The Falcons are 7-7 and in second place in the NFC South. They sit above the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a tiebreaker and still have a 20% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) projections.

Atlanta hosts the two-win New York Giants on Sunday.

Morris said Wednesday that the biggest factor in putting Cousins ​​on the bench was his turnovers. Cousins ​​has 16 interceptions, the most in the league, and his 12 fumbles are tied for the most in the NFL with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Cousins, 36, said he agreed with Morris that turnovers are deadly in the NFL. He reiterated that he was not injured despite recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2023.

“I think going back to the turnovers, I think that’s more of a decision-making process than anything else, and that wouldn’t have anything to do with physical limitations,” Cousins ​​said.

Morris said Cousins ​​expressed to him that he would be “the best No. 2 quarterback in the National Football League.”

As for the future after this season, Cousins ​​said he will address it in due course.

When asked if he still wanted to be a starter in the NFL, Cousins ​​replied: “I haven’t forgotten how to play quarterback. Of course, losing the ball wasn’t what you want, but I didn’t forget how to play.”

Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said the team had a walk-through of about 72 offensive snaps on Wednesday and Penix threw the ball on every single one of them.

Penix said while in the huddle he almost felt like he was imitating Cousins ​​because he had watched him so closely this season.

“Just the way he processed, the way he talks to the team in on-field meetings, just the leadership he has on offense and getting things done the way he wanted, so he could play fast,” Penix said. “I look up to Kirk and to be honest, Kirk could do no wrong in my eyes. When I saw him leading the way in camp all season long, it made me think he was special.”