Falcons HC Says Kirk Cousins 'Did Not Have a Good' Week 1: 'No Sugarcoating It'

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged Thursday that quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled in the team's Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaking to ESPN's Marc Raimondi, Morris said: "We did not have a good game, [Cousins] did not have a good game. It was clear. There was no sugarcoating it. That's what men do. ... There was no blame game."

The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in free agency, but a slow start to the season had to be viewed as a possibility given that Week 1 marked Cousins' first start since suffering a season-ending Achilles tear while with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.

There was a great deal of excitement surrounding the Falcons ahead of their home opener last week, but a stout Steelers defense made life difficult for Cousins and the entire Atlanta offense.

Cousins ended up going 16-of-26 for 155 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, plus he was sacked twice.

It was widely assumed that Cousins would help take both wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts to the next level this season after their struggles last season due to poor quarterback play, but they combined to make just five catches for 41 yards in the opener.

Last week's performance could prove to be a blip on the radar for Cousins and the Falcons, although it is understandable why there may be at least some concern about the veteran signal-caller.

Coming back from a torn Achilles is tough at any age, but Cousins is 36, and he was nowhere near being fleet of foot before the injury.

That means Cousins will likely need immaculate play from his offensive line in order to succeed this season, but that isn't necessarily far-fetched since Jake Matthews, Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary are considered three of the better linemen in the league.

Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson can also help take some pressure off Cousins by leaning on the running game and feeding star running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed 18 times for 68 yards in the opener.

One thing worth monitoring is how the Falcons fanbase will react if Cousins continues to struggle given that the organization surprisingly used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Michael Penix Jr.

It seemed as though the Falcons' plan was to take Penix to sit and learn behind Cousins for at least two or three years, but having a quarterback of his caliber on the roster could conceivably lead to a controversy.

Cousins will have a chance to nip that in the bud in Week 2, though, when he and the Falcons go on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.