Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (23/39 for 245 yards) threw four interceptions on Sunday, none were bigger than the two he threw in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons (6-6 on the season) lost their third game in a row, 17-13, to the visiting Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
On his interceptions, Cousins said, “I’ve got to play better.”
Cousins credited the defense, special teams, and his offense for playing well despite his personal play. He called the outcome “disappointing.”
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris opened his postgame press conferences by saying that Cousins “carried us all season” but “we just can’t go out and turn the ball over four times and win a football game.”
Both teams came into the game looking to better their playoff hopes. Los Angeles was in second place in the AFC West, while Atlanta remains in first place in the NFC South.
The Falcons came into Sunday’s game against Los Angeles on a two-game losing streak. Losses on the road to New Orleans (20-17) and Denver (38-6) put an end to a two-game winning streak. The last time the Falcons played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was during a 27-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The first offensive possession of the game for Atlanta ended with a missed 45-yard field goal by kicker Youngoe Koo. The first defensive possession for the Falcons ended with a fumble recovery by defensive back Clark Phillips III deep in Chargers territory. That turnover led to Atlanta’s first successful offensive drive, a 29-yard, five-play possession that ended in a short touchdown run from Bijan Robinson and a 7-0 advantage. Cornerback A.J. Terrell, Jr. forced another Chargers fumble on the next possession that was recorded by Los Angeles.
The Chargers scored their first points of the game a few plays later on a 45-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker. They pulled to within a point early in the second quarter with another Dicker field goal, this time from 51 yards. The first half ended with Los Angeles ahead 9-7 courtesy of another Dicker field goal (34 yards). Dicker was 3-3 on field goals during the first half.
Atlanta regained the lead at 10-9 earlier in the second half on a Koo field goal. The tide turned when Chargers defensive back Taheeeb Still intercepted a Cousins fourth-down pass and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. Los Angeles then converted a two-point conversion to make the score 17-10 with 1:30 remaining in the third quarter.
The ensuing Falcons possession saw Cousins hit receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III for 60 yards to get back into Chargers territory. Another Koo field goal from 26 yards brought Atlanta within four points at 17-13 at the end of the third quarter.
Inside the Game: Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins achieved another 3,000 yards passing season during the game. He has seven 4,000-plus-yard passing seasons to his credit and eight seasons of over 3,000 yards to date. The last Falcons quarterback to pass for more than 3,000 yards was Matt Ryan (3,968) during the 2021 season. The Falcons finished that season 7-10 and missed the playoffs.
The Falcons defense came into the game with a total of 10 sacks. They sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert three times during the first half on Sunday. The five total sacks are the most the Falcons have had in a single game this season. The previous season-high was the three they had during the 27-21 win over Dallas on Nov. 3.
What’s Next: The Falcons (4-1 in the NFC South) travel to Minnesota to face Cousins’s former team on Sunday, Dec. 8 before playing their second Monday Night Football game of the season in Las Vegas against the Raiders on Dec. 16. Atlanta is 3-2 on the road this season, including victories in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.
