Falcons coach Raheem Morris gave Kirk Cousins a vote of confidence after Sunday’s 17-13 loss to the Chargers. Morris insists the team is sticking with Cousins as its starter despite the eighth overall pick, Michael Penix Jr., sitting on the bench as the heir apparent.
Cousins gave the Falcons no chance Sunday as they lost their third consecutive game to fall into a first-place tie with the Bucs in the division.
“I look to myself and say, ‘I’ve got to play better,’” Cousins said, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN. “It hurts. When you feel like your defense played winning football, feel like your special teams made big plays, felt like the run game [did] a solid job. I’ve got to play better.”
Cousins’ four interceptions tied a career high. Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still returned one for a touchdown, and Marcus Maye intercepted another in the end zone to end a fourth-quarter drive.
The 13-year veteran has not thrown a touchdown in three consecutive games, a first in his career.
Cousins can’t blame his health, though he said he “would love to tell you that I’m fighting through something” as a reason for his performance.
Despite Morris’ vote of confidence, Cousins knows the NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league.
“You just have to go earn it,” Cousins said. “And if it ever was [entitlement,] I wouldn’t want it. I need to play at a level that justifies being out there, and so that’s the way I’ll always view it. And so, I’ve always felt through my whole 13 years that it should never be about anything but earn the right to be out there.”
