Kirk Cousins ended his run without a touchdown, but his play raised doubts about the Atlanta Falcons (7-7) passing offense going forward.

The Falcons managed to secure a win against a sluggish Las Vegas Raiders team, winning 15-9 on Monday night and snapping a four-game losing streak. However, this victory showcased yet another uninspired performance from Atlanta’s passing attack.

Cousins struggled with accuracy and timing, completing 11 of 17 passes for a mere 112 yards—his lowest output of the season—along with one touchdown and one interception. The team recorded 84 passing yards in the first half but dropped to only 28 in the second. Fortunately, running back Bijan Robinson and the offensive line effectively handled most of the workload on the ground, with Robinson accounting for 125 of the team’s 168 rushing yards.

The effectiveness of Atlanta’s ground game, coupled with the Raiders’ poor performance, somewhat obscured the issues present in the Falcon’s aerial game.

“He needs to perform better. Clearly, we have to review everything. He wants to improve, and he needs to improve. We must find ways to help him play better,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris commented on Cousins after the game. “We will dive into the tape on Tuesday, gather the coordinators, and discuss it thoroughly. We need improved play at the quarterback position.”

Cousins did score his first touchdown since Week 9, ending a streak that saw him with zero touchdowns and eight interceptions over four games. Nevertheless, his 112 passing yards marked a new low since he played for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11 of the previous season.

“I know I should be performing at a higher level. That’s not a secret,” Cousins stated to reporters. “The last few weeks have shown that I need to improve. Raheem’s comments are simply reiterating the obvious.”

Throughout the season’s first 14 games, Cousins hasn’t met the expectations of the four-year, $180 million contract he signed with the Falcons in the off-season. He leads the NFL with 16 interceptions and currently holds his lowest passer rating in a season where he has started at least eight games. This has understandably led to discussions about whether the Falcons should consider starting rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Cousins might now be wary of Penix, whom the Falcons drafted eighth overall less than 50 days after signing Cousins in free agency.

The Falcons trail the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) by one game in losses and are two games behind the Washington Commanders for the seventh and final wild-card spot in the NFC.

Atlanta remains in playoff contention, but it’s time to seriously consider making Penix the starting quarterback.

Penix is projected as the Falcons’ quarterback of the future; perhaps it’s time for him to also be their present, relegating Cousins to an expensive backup role.