Kirk Cousins bought his swagger again

If you happen to’re as chronically on-line as me, you’ll know the TikTok development of somebody saying “Me at my son’s X celebration throwing absolute piss missiles within the yard (I’m hammered and assume I’m insert QB right here)”.

Nicely, one of the best ways to explain Kirk Cousins night time final night time was that we’ll make TikToks about this particular efficiency quickly. Cousins was on hearth from the second he stepped on the sector, going 42/58 for 509 yards and 4 TDs because the Falcons got here again to upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in additional time. On an evening the place Falcons legend Matt Ryan was honored at halftime, Cousins broke the one recreation passing file Ryan set in 2016. Cousins night time was so spectacular by nearly all superior stats as nicely. His whole EPA of twenty-two.4 was the very best whole EPA a QB has gathered towards a Todd Bowles-coached Tampa Bay protection EVER.

It was unbelievable quarterbacking, whereas additionally showcasing the expansion that Cousins has made and continues to be making at age 36.

In a number of methods, this recreation jogged my memory a number of the instances Matthew Stafford confronted a Bowles-led protection as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. Each are ageing pocket passers, who finally didn’t actually need the motion related to play motion or too many RPOs towards this protection. Of Cousins’ 58 dropbacks, solely 5 used play motion. In that 2021 recreation Stafford performed, solely 4 of these dropbacks had play motion. Atlanta’s present offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, was the assistant QBs coach throughout Stafford’s bonanza, and he referred to as the sport like he had a man of Stafford’s caliber again there.

It was evident early on that the Bucs would attempt to warmth up and hit Cousins utilizing each simulated pressures and creeper pressures. Simulated pressures are when the protection exhibits the blitz after which could drop folks from the road of scrimmage, whereas creepers appear to be any regular play after which they carry the warmth. Nonetheless, Tampa got here into this recreation hurting. All-world security Antione Winfield Jr didn’t play on this recreation, together with go rusher Calijah Kancey and protection linebacker SirVocea Dennis. All this comes up the backbone of the protection, the place Cousins and Atlanta hunted for the ENTIRE GAME.

This was the primary offensive play of the sport for Atlanta. Tampa brings a simulated stress the place they’ve 5 folks on the line of scrimmage, however drop LB Lavonte David and convey each slot defenders. Cousins is unfazed by this, as a result of his solutions are already inbuilt. Blitz will get picked up and Cousins hits TE Kyle Pitts working down the seam towards David.

Now, the seams and the backbone of the protection had been big on this recreation, as a result of Atlanta attacked these second degree defenders with varied motions and high-low ideas. This places that beneath defender (a LB, nickel or dropping EDGE) in a bind as a result of they need to make a cut up second choice to remove the deep route or quit YAC on the shorter route. This was a staple with the Stafford Rams, one thing Robinson dropped at Atlanta. He additionally introduced WR Drake London inside to the slot, the place now you possibly can play matchup ball and isolate him on these poorer defenders. London painted a masterpiece from the slot on Thursday, going for eight of his 12 catches for 117 yards and a landing from the slot. London is lined up as the within receiver to the proper, and Tampa once more runs a creeper stress the place EDGE Yaya Diaby is dropping into the hook lane. Nonetheless, there’s not a lot that may idiot Kirk Cousins protection clever. He seems to be Diaby off and hits London on a dig that strikes the chains. These dig routes are vital, put a pin in that.

London’s landing was an ideal instance of utilizing movement to create favorable conditions and matchups for Atlanta’s stars. Quick movement by WR Darnell Mooney on the snap will get London remoted on rookie nickel defender Tykee Smith, and that’s a matchup London wins a massive majority of the time. Atlanta gave London all the selection routes Cooper Kupp ran in LA, and on Thursday he was cooking with them. Take a look at all of the house London is given, particularly with the working again releasing to the proper.

This play comes off the identical formation and the identical movement, however completely different design. Tampa brings David on a blitz and drops DE Anthony Nelson, however Nelson has no shot of getting out to London on this dig to make this throw troublesome. Once more, the brief movement by Mooney provides London extra room to work and Cousins fires a strike.

This play got here later within the recreation, but it surely exhibits how assured Cousins is in these pure dropback conditions and the way a lot his recreation has grown. Watch Cousins go to work right here on backup LB KJ Britt. Atlanta is in a 3×1 formation with London because the slot, and get London engaged on a dig once more with TE Kyle Pitts vacating house for him with an out route. Return movement by WR Ray-Ray McCloud confirms zone protection, and have a look at Cousins pump pretend to no person and get Britt leaning earlier than he zips in a London in-breaker. As Kirk has gotten older, his recreation has really gotten stronger, and on Thursday he confirmed off what he and this offense will be within the dropback recreation.

Ultimately, Tampa bought uninterested in being hit over the top with dig routes by Atlanta. In an effort to insulate their injured linebacker group, Tampa adjusted to having higher protection guys taking part in the function of the center working in Tampa 2 or having their safeties set off laborious on any in-breakers Atlanta would throw. Kirk’s second TD of the sport was an unbelievable throw the place he beat Tampa on the previous. Zyon McCollum is within the slot on this one, however he’s going to show into the center runner in Tampa 2. Atlanta is working Dagger, which asks the within receiver to run a go route for the love of the sport and a Dig coming behind it. The go route is meant to filter out the lane, however hardly ever is thrown. Besides if you happen to’re Kirk Cousins. McCollum turns his head and Kirk rips a landing to Mooney, who makes an unbelievable seize. Watch the anticipation, and when Kirk releases this ball. Prime tier QBing at its’ best.

Now, Tampa has security Jordan Whitehead hammering laborious on each dig route. He nearly picked off a dig to finish the primary half, have a look at how flat-footed he’s! He barely drops into his quarter of the sector.

To open the second half, Atlanta performed off that tendency, and threw it proper the place Whitehead was presupposed to be. London is as soon as once more within the slot, they usually punish Whitehead for being flat footed. London runs proper previous him and Cousins places it on the again shoulder. You’ll discover a development right here: movement opening up London for extra slot utilization. Intentional movement to win house and leverage was a staple of the Rams offense, and Robinson introduced that to Atlanta with him.

That is the Falcons dropback recreation at its’ finest, and it’s led by a assured and on hearth Kirk Cousins. You play a harmful recreation with how unstable Cousins will be as a passer, however at his age he can function this fashion of passing recreation. Cousins manipulating beneath defenders with out the usage of play motion, whereas additionally standing in and firing strikes underneath stress is strictly what Falcons followers wished this season—an grownup at QB. With Robinson giving him the Stafford weight-reduction plan of passes, there’s solely hope that this offense can get even higher, which is thrilling for Atlanta’s hopes this season. The protection nonetheless has query marks, but when the offense can feast on Cousins-to-London within the slot and get a couple of bangers from Kirk, they’ll go far.