NFL analyst drops family-friendly F-word to describe Kirk Cousins’ situation
Kirk Cousins managed to grind out a primetime win on Monday Night Football, snapping a four-game losing streak. However, analysts were not impressed, doubling down on asking the question of what is going on with the Falcons quarterback.
Some believe the scheme has been figured out. Others believe it could be something else.
Speaking on a Dec. 17 edition of "Pro Football Talk," NFL analyst Mike Florio expressed a belief that fans could be watching Kirk Cousins age before their very eyes.
"There's no guarantee that Father Time only shows up in the off-season, like, [the NFL has] a long season. Father Time may finally catch you during a season ... It's possible that Father Time is whacking Kirk Cousins over the head with that big a*s staff or sickle or hourglass," Florio said.
Cousins threw for one touchdown, one interception and just 112 yards against the now 2-12 Raiders. The Falcons quarterback won the game, but it was far from a pretty performance for his offense.
Kirk Cousins' play puts Falcons in sticky predicament
At this point, the case to keep Kirk Cousins in the starting lineup is only getting shakier by the day. While he did take a step in a positive direction on Monday Night Football, his touchdown-interception ratios still sits far, far below 1:1 with one touchdown and nine interceptions since Nov. 4.
Can the Atlanta Falcons trust Cousins to clean up his play to get them back into first place in the NFC South? The Falcons sit at 7-7 while the Buccaneers are at 8-6 in first place.
The Falcons are close enough that the division remains anyone's game. However, is keeping Cousins in the starting lineup the best chance for the team to win?
Michael Penix Jr. is essentially a complete wild card that could doom the team with his first start coming under the pressure of essentially an elimination game.
However, it also could be the spark offering a new element of surprise for the team. Even as a rookie, there is a case that could be made that most rookies can and have done better than one touchdown to nine interceptions.
Either way, the Falcons are presented with perhaps the ultimate decision in terms of winning now or holding off for a potentially better result in the future. Will Raheem Morris pull the plug on Cousins?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk," and H/T Sportskeeda.