Immediately after Jessie Bates secured an improbable comeback, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank could be seen on the sideline celebrating, a wide grin across his face.
It was what Kirk Cousins had done in a magical minute and five seconds that made that smile possible.
Cousins rallied the Falcons to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 22-21, in a remarkable victory on Monday night, hitting Drake London for a game-tying touchdown with only 34 seconds to play before Younghoe Koo’s game-winning extra point.
“Today he went out and played important in the biggest moments, in the biggest times,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said of Cousins, who was 20 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. “And those are the things you want to have happen when you get a chance to go out there and get wins. It was great to see with Kirk Cousins.”
It was a simply stunning win for Cousins and the Falcons, just as much as it was a shocking loss for the Eagles, who seemed to have all but sealed the win and had held Atlanta’s passing attack to 171 yards for nearly four full quarters, before Cousins pulled a magical victory out of his helmet.
Having largely flopped in a Week 1 loss, this was the type of showing that underscores why the Falcons inked Cousins to a lucrative contract this offseason -- and reignites the anticipation of what could lie ahead for Atlanta.
“Coming from behind. Finding a way on the road in a tough environment against a good football team,” Cousins said about what makes the win special. “That builds resolve, builds some grit, builds some character that we’re gonna have to lean on as the year goes on. This is how NFL football is. We’ve got to kind of get used to this and get comfortable in this because that’s how these games tend to go. The more we can be battle-tested and have these moments, I think it will set us up well for what’s coming down the road.”
With just 1:39 to play, Cousins took over with the Falcons trailing, 21-15. Though he’d thrown a 41-yard touchdown to Darnell Mooney in the third quarter, Cousins was far from excellent for much of the game. Staring at a six-point deficit with 70 yards to travel, Cousins was as sharp as ever.
He looked fearless and threw with authority, completing 5 of 6 passes for all 70 of the drive's yards.
He started with an 11-yarder to Kyle Pitts, then a pair of 20-plus-yard gains to Mooney and finally London, first with a 6-yard hook-up to the Eagles’ 7-yard line. Then, on third-and-5, Cousins found London again, this time hitting him inside the right pylon.
The drama wasn’t over, though, as London was flagged for a controversial unsportsmanlike celebration penalty, forcing Koo to boot a 48-yard game-winning PAT.
Moments later, Bates secured the victory.
As the Eagles were left in stunned disbelief after their home opener, the Falcons were rejoicing.
They sputtered for the season’s first six quarters against a pair of Pennsylvania teams.
In Week 1, Cousins threw for just 155 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Monday, Cousins and Co. trailed, 7-6, at halftime with the veteran QB having completed just 7 of 13 attempts for 75 yards.
In fairness, the Falcons running game was producing, at least in the yards department. Atlanta ran for 109 net yards in the opening half, but it was Cousins who rekindled the offense and captained a thrilling comeback.
It wasn’t that long ago that Cousins was saddled with a reputation of not being ready for prime time, Monday night games, in particular. He began his career losing his first nine Monday evening affairs. Since that 0-9 start, Cousins has changed the narrative. After the thriller in Philly, he has won four of his past five Monday nighters.
Next up, he’s aiming to change the narrative in Atlanta, which signed Cousins in the hopes of ending a six-season playoff drought.
“It’s so important to find ways to win,” Cousins said. “And that’s how you put together a great season is when you have these games that can go either way, you find a way to have it break your way. That’s the way this league is. So, when we can find those inches, it can really change the tale of the season. We’re gonna have more of those up ahead, and we’re gonna have to keep, as a whole team, finding ways to make the plays to get it done.”