Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins hopes the third time is the charm when the Falcons visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.
It is the third straight season that Cousins has traveled to Lincoln Financial Field in Week 2 for a primetime game. He lost the previous two years while playing for the Minnesota Vikings, falling 24-7 on “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 19, 2022, and 34-28 on “Thursday Night Football” on Sept. 14, 2023.
Atlanta (0-1) is coming off a season-opening 18-10 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cousins’ Falcons debut. He looked rusty during his first game since tearing his right Achilles tendon last October and first since signing a $180 million contract in March.
Cousins completed 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions against the Steelers. He was also sacked twice and hit seven times as the Falcons operated almost exclusively from the pistol or shotgun, opting to avoid play-action with their 36-year-old signal-caller.
“We did not have a good game. He (Cousins) did not have a good game,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “We were very clear about that. There was no sugarcoating that.”
Including his time with NFC East rival Washington, Cousins has had success against Philadelphia with a 6-5 record and more career passing yards (3,341) and touchdown passes (26) against the Eagles than any other opponent. In last year’s game at the Linc, he completed 31 of 44 passes for 364 yards with four TDs and no INTs.
“He’s gonna bring the urgency,” Morris said of what he expects from Cousins. “He’s gonna bring everything he has to do in order to play better, to find a way to get that thing to the results that we want.”
Cousins will face some heat from the Eagles (1-0), who should be rested and recovered playing 10 days after their 34-29 defeat of Green Bay in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Linebacker Zack Baun recorded two sacks in his Philadelphia debut, matching his career total from 62 games with the New Orleans Saints (2020-23). His game-ending sack against Malik Willis, after Jordan Love left with a knee injury, preserved the win.
“A great indicator of how you’re going to play in games is how you practice,” coach Nick Sirianni said of Baun, who added a game-high 15 tackles with 11 solo stops. “You know, he’s been relentless to the football. Relentless effort. That really showed up.”
The Packers gained 414 yards against the Eagles but came away with only one touchdown in four trips to the red zone against new coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense.
On the other side of the ball, Philadelphia offset Jalen Hurts’ two interceptions and a fumbled exchange with new center Cam Jurgens with a big debut by Saquon Barkley (132 yards from scrimmage, three touchdowns).
The Eagles face an Atlanta defense that did not allow a touchdown to the Steelers, who settled for six field goals by Chris Boswell. Grady Jarrett had 1.5 sacks and Matt Judon added a half-sack and six tackles in his Falcons debut.
Sirianni is also concerned with stopping Bijan Robinson, who tallied 111 yards from scrimmage in Week 1 and who reminds the Philly coach of Barkley.
“He’s a really good football player who can create on his own,” Sirianni said. “Things can break down and he can still make a play.”
Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (foot) was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice. Linebacker Devin White (ankle) and cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (hand) were full participants after missing Week 1.
Falcons linebacker Nate Landman (calf, quad) and cornerback Antonio Hamilton (groin) did not practice Thursday and right tackle Kaleb McGary (groin) was limited.
–Field Level Media