ATLANTA – Kirk Cousins remains the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons.

However, following Cousins’ disappointing performance in a 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers—where he tied his career-high with four interceptions, including a pick-six—there are valid questions regarding his place on the team.

This is particularly true given the Falcons (6-6) have dropped three straight games. The Cousins-led offense has managed just one touchdown in the past two games, turning the earlier dominant position in the NFC South into a series of what-if scenarios and tiebreaker considerations.

And let’s not forget, this is the Falcons—similar promising situations have unraveled in the past.

So, is a benching for Cousins being considered?

Enter Raheem Morris, the Falcons’ first-year coach, who attempts to provide reassurance.

“There are no issues with that,” Morris stated during his postgame conference when asked if he might switch from Cousins to rookie Michael Penix Jr. “He’s the reason we’re at 6-6 and in first place in the division. We still have everything ahead of us, despite today’s outcome.”

“It’s our responsibility to bounce back and find ways to win. There’s no one better than (No.) 18 to lead us in that.”

Thus, Cousins—who joined the Falcons in March on a hefty four-year, $180 million contract—will head back to Minnesota for a game against his former team while retaining his starting position. This will be a tough match, as the Vikings (10-2) are currently one of the league’s hottest teams, boasting a five-game winning streak, while the Falcons are trending downward with a quarterback for whom they invested heavily, hoping he would guide the team to its first playoff appearance since 2018.

Cousins had a particularly rough outing on Sunday, completing 24 of 39 passes for 245 yards, failing to throw any touchdowns and achieving a 40.0 passer rating—the fourth lowest of his 13-year career.

His first interception occurred on the second play of the second quarter, when Cousins hesitated before throwing down the left sideline to Drake London. Rookie Tarheeb Still intercepted it, marking it as Cousins’ “best” pick of the game.

The pick-six occurred in the third quarter on a crucial fourth-and-5 opportunity. Cousins underthrew Darnell Mooney, allowing Still to read the play and return the interception 61 yards for a touchdown, pushing Los Angeles ahead by 7 after a two-point conversion.

Later, on a scramble during a third down from the Chargers’ 13-yard line, Cousins made a desperate throw to London in the middle of the end zone. This marked the third interception, a weak throw that allowed Marcus Maye to make an easy pick, as London wasn’t positioned to make a catch.

The final interception was a last-ditch effort as the Falcons moved from their own 6-yard line to find themselves with a fourth-and-12 from the Chargers’ 35. Cousins again misfired, this time Derwin James swooping in to secure the win for L.A.

“We won’t make any excuses for this,” Morris commented. “Kirk has led us all season long, and he’s done an incredible job. It’s tough to cast blame on him for what he’s achieved for the team.”

Morris’s decision to back his quarterback without panicking during this evident crisis says a lot.

Nonetheless, Cousins’ inconsistency cannot be overlooked. One must wonder: Which version of Kirk will show up?

Good Kirk or Bad Kirk?

In the six games the Falcons have won, Cousins had a 14-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, with a passer rating of 114.2. In contrast, during the six losses, this drops to 3-to-11, with his efficiency rating plummeting over 50 points.

The Falcons have clearly demonstrated that they cannot secure victories without a strong performance from Cousins. Perhaps this is expected, as he is the quarterback.

Additionally, the Falcons’ defense, often criticized, delivered one of its best performances of the season by limiting the Chargers to 187 total yards and racking up five sacks on Justin Herbert, yet it wasn’t enough for victory.

If this trend continues, calls for Cousins to be benched will undoubtedly grow louder.

Morris is aware that this situation is part of the role. The possibility of Penix providing a spark is worth considering, especially in light of other rookie quarterbacks like Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix making headlines. Morris has dismissed any notion of a quarterback controversy during the offseason as Cousins worked his way back from a torn Achilles tendon, and he remains firm in that stance.

“Kirk was brought here to help us reach the playoffs, to secure a home playoff game, and win the division in the NFC South,” Morris reaffirmed. “We still have everything ahead of us.”

“We’re sticking to our plan.”

Unless something changes soon, this strategy could lead to a disappointing end to the Falcons’ season.