ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons won’t be benching veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. this week, and if they’re not going to do it this week, don’t expect them to do it at any point this season because Sunday was bad. Cousins tied his career high with four interceptions and had the fifth-worst passer rating of his 13-year career as the Falcons fell 17-13 to the Los Angeles Chargers .
Advertisement “That guy has carried us this season,” first-year head coach Raheem Morris said. “He has done such a marvelous job that it’s hard to throw that guy under the bus after what he’s done for us. We will bounce back, we will bring him back and we’ll be ready to go.
” The Falcons (6-6) signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million in the offseason believing he could carry them to a division title and the playoffs. They drafted Penix with the No. 8 pick in April’s draft to be the future at the position, and they’re sticking with that plan even if a day like Sunday makes it feel like a blend of stubbornness and hubris.
Cousins “has got us to the point where we are 6-6, still in first place in the division, still got everything in front of us,” Morris said. “It’s up to us to bounce back and win football games, and there is no better man than (number) 18 to do that for us.” GO DEEPER NFL Week 13 takeaways: Are Chargers a Super Bowl threat? Is Russell Wilson the Steelers’ long-term answer? Cousins, who last thre.
