Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins believes Atlanta’s thrilling 22-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football could impact the team beyond adding its first win of the season.
“We found a way to win, and we can build on that,” Cousins said postgame, according to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “I think (it’ll) build some character and some resolve in our group.
“That’s how you put together a great season, is when you have these games that can go either way, you find a way to have it break your way,” the veteran passer added, per NFL.com’s Grant Gordon. “That’s the way this league is. So, when we can find those inches, it can really change the tale of the season. We’re gonna have more of those up ahead, and we’re gonna have to keep, as a whole team, finding ways to make the plays to get it done.”
The Eagles had a third-and-3 to seal the game but couldn’t convert it after a costly Saquon Barkley drop. Philly kicked a field goal to extend its lead to six and gave the ball back to Atlanta with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter.
Cousins then quarterbacked an impressive six-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Drake London to put the Falcons up by one with 34 seconds left. However, a Jessie Bates interception iced the game for the Falcons, who claimed their first win of the season after scoring just 10 points in a season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home.
“(Cousins) was just getting so much criticism throughout this whole week,” Bates said after Week 2, according to Raimondi. “(People were saying) ‘Kirk can’t move, Kirk can’t do this.’ Watch his poise. I mean, that wasn’t his first two-minute drive.”
Powered by a strong second half, Cousins finished Monday’s contest with 20 completions on 29 attempts for 241 yards and two touchdowns against no interceptions.
“I didn’t feel like I was sharp enough today, accurate enough. I gotta be better,” Cousins said postgame. “But that last drive, hopefully it can give us a boost going into next week.”
Things won’t get any easier for the Falcons, as they host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3. Atlanta then plays the 2-0 New Orleans Saints.
