• Among one of the best when the sport is within the steadiness: Kirk Cousins has dedicated just one turnover-worthy play with 2 minutes or much less to go within the fourth quarter all yr.
• Close, late contests have allowed Cousins to thrive: In a recreation the place the rating differential is three factors or fewer and not more than 60 seconds are left within the fourth quarter, Cousins’ 60.3 PFF passing grade ranks second within the NFL.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
As the Atlanta Falcons stared down a 30-27 deficit with 1:21 remaining of their fifth recreation of the 2024 season, stress was palpable. Atlanta’s protection had gotten the requisite cease in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offense, however no timeouts remained. With no margin for error, quarterback Kirk Cousins and firm would wish to tug off yet another exceptional comeback in a high-octane divisional recreation.
Cousins grabbed his pixie mud and did simply that, main Atlanta 46 yards down the sphere and into kicker Younghoe Koo’s vary to knot issues up. And in time beyond regulation, the magic by no means stopped, because the quarterback accomplished three straight passes — together with a 45-yard strike to KhaDarel Hodge that received the competition altogether.
In the early going of his first season in Atlanta, Cousins has already developed a penchant for late-game heroics. He’s led three game-winning drives (two in primetime, no much less) after posting none all of final yr. Quite frankly, all three have been inextricably linked in altering the narrative of Falcons soccer from a group that surrenders late results in one which stakes them. And as PFF knowledge asserts, there haven’t been many higher quarterbacks this yr in these fingernail-biting, close-game conditions than Cousins.
With 1 minute or much less remaining in a matchup, the Falcons’ new $180 million man has been glorious, particularly relative to his friends. In a recreation the place the rating differential is three factors or fewer and not more than 60 seconds are left within the fourth quarter, Cousins’ 60.3 PFF passing grade ranks second within the NFL. Similarly, his 66.0 passing grade locations fourth when the scoreboard margin widens to seven factors with not more than 1 minute left. Those numbers could seem low by typical PFF grading requirements, however they’re really excellent given the problem of the context.
Kirk Cousins’ 2024 PFF Game Grades
Cousins’ superhuman act hasn’t solely manifested itself in the course of the closing minute of a recreation, both. The 36-year-old has additionally been terrific because the clock strikes the final 2-minute warning: Cousins’ passing grades when in a seven-point recreation or a three-point recreation and that little time left are each top-11 amongst all quarterbacks.
Particularly intriguing is that one can virtually see the cape develop on Cousins because the fourth quarter endures. The signal-caller hasn’t been excellent within the closing body of video games — his 59.4 PFF passing grade sits solely 19th — however he slots ninth amongst all quarterbacks in passing grade inside of two minutes, then fifth with just one minute left.
Maybe most spectacular is that Cousins has dedicated only one turnover-worthy play with 2 minutes left within the fourth quarter all yr, and none with just one minute to go. Unlike most of his friends in these circumstances, the Falcons star has had significantly extra alternatives to make a mistake. Cousins’ 27 dropbacks inside of two minutes within the fourth quarter are essentially the most within the NFL by 9, and his 18 inside 1 minute to go are double that of second place.
Against the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, Cousins was distinctive all night, particularly because the highlight magnified. In the fourth quarter, Cousins accomplished 11 of his 17 makes an attempt for 101 yards and a landing, tossing a big-time throw however committing a turnover-worthy play (an interception on fourth-and-15 on a play that was already unlikely to be transformed). His metrics within the fourth quarter and time beyond regulation culminated in an 83.5 passing grade, Cousins’ highest in his new uniform and greatest since tearing his Achilles final season.
It hasn’t all been excellent for the Falcons’ upstart offense this season, which has struggled to offer its major playmakers satisfactory reps and discover common rhythm. But what has labored fairly persistently is Cousins thriving in a recreation’s most dire moments — a really encouraging sign for a hopeful playoff group that ought to solely enhance all year long.