Kirk Cousins ​​on injury fears, Michael Penix Jr. and being the 'missing puzzle piece' for the Atlanta Falcons | NFL News

Is Kirk Cousins ​​the missing piece of the puzzle? The Atlanta Falcons hope so, Kirk Cousins ​​hopes so. But both know it will take more than the veteran quarterback alone to meet the lofty expectations of a Super Bowl offense in the years to come.

Cousins ​​made waves in the NFL offseason when he signed a four-year, $180 million deal with Atlanta after six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

He teamed up with newly appointed head coach Raheem Morris and led a star-studded offense with the goal of getting the Falcons back into contention.

He embodies what the Falcons believe is the answer to years of instability at the quarterback position since Matt Ryan's heyday, during which the Falcons failed to reach the playoffs for six consecutive seasons.

While Cousins ​​still divides opinion, having only led the Vikings to the playoffs twice, he has consistent numbers and the ability to make the most of the talent that awaits him in Atlanta.

“I don't think I'm the missing piece of the puzzle. I think I learned a long time ago that football doesn't work like that, it's a team game,” Cousins ​​said Sky Sports.

“There are so many pieces. If I'm the missing piece, I can only do my part as the missing piece, because everyone else is right. It all has to work together. We have to stay healthy.

“And I think I realized a long time ago that while these are the narratives from the outside, when you're in the middle of it, it doesn't really work that way.”

Cousins ​​missed rare playing time last season when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week Eight against the Green Bay Packers that ended his year, and the change of scenery with the Falcons was something of a fresh start in his career.

“I think the unknown is always a little scary, especially after the first injury,” Cousins ​​explained. “I think it was a relief coming here to Atlanta because I had a direction that things were going to go in.”

“And then as I continued to heal, it helped me to know that my strength was coming back. I'm exercising again. I love being an athlete. I love playing sports, so it was a relief to be back on my feet and able to move well.”

The Falcons threw another wrench into the plans in April when, in one of the draft's surprises, they selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick and did not inform Cousins ​​and his team of the decision until Atlanta's turn.

Owner Arthur Blank later cited the team's post-Matt Ryan uncertainty at quarterback as the reason for signing Penix, believing he had secured a long-term solution beyond Cousins, who downplayed any hint of animosity surrounding the move.

“The league is constantly looking at succession plans and how we move forward, and that's what teams have been doing lately,” Cousins ​​said. “I think that's just part of the process when you play in this league. As you get older, you have to play your way on the field and you have to play a way to stay on the field.”

“I've always kind of seen it as something I have to earn my right to be out there. And I think that's no different now.”

“You're constantly reminded of that. It's a business. You can't expect entitlement, you have to earn your way. I think Tom Brady would tell you that even though he's the best player of all time, it's not like Bill Belichick never gave him a hard time.

“I think Tom would look back now and say, 'It's been a difficult road.' I'm putting words in his mouth. But I think he would say, 'I'm a better player and I have a lot of rings to show for it. There's no sense of entitlement in this league, and that's part of what makes it a great product.”

Cousins ​​takes the reins on one of the NFL's most talented teams, playing alongside star running back Bijan Robinson and relying on a core of pass catchers that includes Drake London, Darnell Mooney and tight end Kyle Pitts.

His job? To get every bit of talent out of them.

“An important aspect of being a quarterback is always who else is around you. It's not just the skill set, but the offensive line and then the game plan,” Cousins ​​said.

“I've been fortunate throughout my career to feel like I'm not alone. I have great players around me. I have great coaches around me and I think it will be no different in Atlanta.”

“You know, Mooney, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and an offensive line that has played together, has a lot of experience and is well coached. So I'm excited to be able to go out there and feel like a distributor and I have great players around me.”

It's also one of the youngest offenses in the league, led by a 36-year-old playmaker entering his 13th NFL season.

Cousins ​​is no stranger to the fact that his humor doesn't resonate with the younger players around him. In some ways, he sees that as a positive.

“Some of my teammates are 22/23 and are key players on our team. You can see there's almost a 15 year age difference and if I make a joke about pop culture from 15/20 years ago, they're just too young to get the joke.

“Then you realize that's a good thing. In this league, you want to be older. That means you've had a long career and you've been able to stick with it. And I hope one day I'll be even older and look back at younger players, hopefully here, and look forward to leaving my mark.”

The other significant offseason change in Atlanta came on the sidelines, as Morris was named Arthur Smith's successor following his success as defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, returning to the franchise where he served as defensive coordinator and interim coach before moving to Hollywood.

Morris would later bolster his new defense when the Falcons underscored their “win now” approach by acquiring veteran edge rusher Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons.

Cousins ​​was impressed not only with his new head coach's schematic approach, but also with his ability to mobilize a team to achieve great things.

“I was reminded of that again today when he spoke to our team,” Cousins ​​said. “Jimmy Johnson, the former Super Bowl-winning coach of the Cowboys, was a big believer in the Pygmalion effect, where you don't treat a guy the way he is, you treat him the way you want him to be or the way you want him to be, and if you treat him that way, he will.”

“I feel like when Raheem talks to us players, there's a bit of that belief that Jimmy Johnson had. He talks to you and treats you in a way that you know you're in the right place and he treats you in a way that you start to see yourself in that light.

“I think it gives us a lot of energy and I think it also makes us want to play hard for him.”

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