PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Oh, so this was what Atlanta anticipated out of $180 million lavished on Kirk Cousins.
Actually not a shaky effort just like the 36-year-old veteran had within the opener, elevating considerations within the loss in regards to the quarterback’s return to type from a torn Achilles tendon.
Cousins calmed fears down the stretch and made all of the clutch throws in Philadelphia his counterpart Jalen Hurts couldn’t — and despatched the Falcons residence winners.
Cousins led a flawless last-minute drive for Atlanta and linked with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to present the Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Eagles on Monday evening.
“He went out and performed vital within the greatest moments within the greatest instances,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris stated. “These are belongings you need to have occur when you’ve got an opportunity to go on the market and get wins. It was nice to see at present with Kirk Cousins.”
Saquon Barkley dropped a brief go that stopped the clock with 1:46 left and compelled the Eagles to accept a discipline objective as an alternative of a game-sealing first down. That was loads of time for Cousins — particularly in opposition to an Eagles protection taking part in tender protection with a nonexistent go rush.
Cousins, taking part in his second sport since tearing his Achilles tendon final Oct. 29 whereas taking part in for Minnesota, shook off an uneven effort and hit Darnell Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive performs in the course of the decisive drive.
Cousins discovered London on a brief go to his proper and he torched Darius Slay for the tying rating, and Younghoe Koo put Atlanta (1-1) on prime with a 48-yard additional level after London was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The go-ahead drive took simply 65 seconds.
“We saved simply sufficient time for these guys to go down and march down and get that game-winning landing,” Morris stated.
Cousins was 5 of 6 six for 70 yards on the ultimate drive.
“That’s how you set collectively an amazing season,” Cousins stated. “When you’ve got these video games that would go both approach, you discover a strategy to have it break your approach. That’s the best way this league is and so once we can discover these inches, it might actually change the story of the season.”
Hurts had his last go intercepted by Jessie Bates III to seal Atlanta’s win and set off a wild celebration on the sideline.
The Eagles (1-1) went forward on Hurts’ 1-yard tush push rating with 6:47 left. Barkley completed with 95 yards on 22 carries in his residence debut for Philadelphia, however his drop supplied the Falcons with some hope.
After which Cousins began taking part in just like the QB Atlanta thought it was getting when it signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Cousins completed 20 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Atlanta’s first TD was a 41-yarder from Cousins to Mooney, who completed with three catches for 88 yards.
All vital performs main as much as the ultimate drive.
“While you’re down six, you may definitely, go for broke, however we simply tried to take what they gave us and transfer our approach down the sphere,” Cousins stated. “And we have been capable of get some chunks that mainly bought us down there, low sufficient the place the clock wasn’t actually our enemy.”
Hurts was 23 of 30 for 183 yards, together with a landing go to DeVonta Smith. With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring harm, Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a rating.
Jake Elliott kicked two discipline objectives for the Eagles. His 28-yarder with 1:39 left made it 21-15.
Atlanta saved stalling within the pink zone, getting three discipline objectives from Koo, earlier than Cousins fired over the center to Mooney, who shook free from C.J. Gardner-Johnson and left him on the turf earlier than he somersaulted into the top zone with 1:21 left within the third quarter for a 15-10 lead. Cousins failed on the 2-point conversion go.
Hurts had some juice in his step throughout a second-quarter TD drive, working with abandon for giant performs very like he did within the 2022 season. He spiked the ball in a uncommon, uncooked present of emotion on a 23-yard run, incomes a delay-of-game penalty. He shrugged off the 5-yard setback and scrambled for 9 yards and 15 yards to maneuver the Eagles to Atlanta’s 19.
With comic Shane Gillis and actor Bradley Cooper among the many followers cheering on the Eagles, Hurts linked with Smith at the back of the top zone for a 7-yard TD that made it 7-3.
Koo kicked discipline objectives of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the final one sufficient for a 9-7 lead within the third quarter.
“They made a pair extra performs than we did down the stretch. We made some performs; they made extra,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni stated. “And that’s on all of us. That begins with teaching and goes to the gamers. We’re all answerable for the loss.”
Questionable name
Fairly than take a chip-shot discipline objective from Elliott, the Eagles’ fourth-and-4 gamble at Atlanta’s 9-yard line within the first quarter failed when Hurts threw an incomplete go.
Elliott kicked a 29-yarder with 4:31 left within the third quarter for a 10-9 lead.
Operating wild
Bijan Robinson ran for 97 yards for the Falcons. The Eagles stuffed him late on fourth-and-1 on the Atlanta 39.
Barkley was quiet till the go-ahead drive, every week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns in opposition to Inexperienced Bay. Eagles followers booed when the opening drive of the sport ended with out Barkley touching the ball. They went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive. Barkley had 40 yards dashing within the first half.
Foles honored
Former Eagles QB Nick Foles, who led the franchise to its solely Tremendous Bowl title, served as an honorary captain and led the group in a rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.”
Accidents
The Falcons performed with out LB Nate Landman (calf, quad).
Up subsequent
Atlanta hosts Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis on Sunday.
The Eagles play at New Orleans on Sunday.
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AP NFL:
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