The Atlanta Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention a week ago and had no reason to show up against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that had every advantage. Instead, the Atlanta offense played one of its best games of the season, winning on a walk-off field goal, 29-28, wreaking havoc in the division race. More importantly, this was a statement game for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was playing without star receiver Drake London and still had one of the best games of his Atlanta tenure.
Cousins finished the night 30/44 for 373 yards and a trio of touchdowns to Kyle Pitts. While there are still some flaws in Cousins' game, it was a complete performance that showed who the quarterback had been a season ago, before injuries. For the first time in the 2025 season, Cousins put together a complete performance and looked the part of a starting quarterback. It is more than enough to wonder if the Falcons consider running it back with the quarterback for one more season.
Regardless of the answer the franchise lands on, it is important to note that this was a career-saving performance. A game in a prime-time slot that is going to go a long way in creating opportunities for Cousins as a bridge quarterback. Whether the veteran finishes his career in Atlanta or elsewhere, there are now going to be clear opportunities.
Falcons' Cousins Saves Career with Impressive Performance in Clutch Win
One great week doesn't wipe away nearly a year of frustrations. However, Cousins has previously shown he's capable when healthy. The Falcons don't have a wealth of choices, lacking their own first-rounder in 2026, and with free agency offering very little in the way of reliable options.
Cousins has at least put it on the table that the Falcons bring him back for the 2026 season if the quarterback builds on this. Three games remain for the Falcons, leaving plenty of time for Cousins to reverse this progress or to build upon it.
No matter how it plays out, it was nice to see the Falcons win and the much-maligned Cousins turn back the clock. The question is simply whether this will prove to be an outlier or if the quarterback can continue this level of play. If Cousins can replicate this effort over the final three games of the season, it could be in Atlanta's best interests to bring the veteran back for the 2026 campaign with Michael Penix Jr recovering from another torn ACL.
This at least offers Atlanta fans an interesting storyline to watch in what is yet another wasted season. The Falcons haven't had a winning season since 2017, which points to the level of desperation the front office and coaching staff should feel as we near the offseason.