Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons beat Philadelphia Eagles

PHILADELPHIA — Kirk Cousins ​​spent the past week answering questions about his health, and whether his poor performance in Week 1 was just rust or something more concerning. His right Achilles tendon, which underwent surgery, may not have fully healed.

Cousins ​​put those questions to rest, at least for now, by leading the Atlanta Falcons to a stunning win on Monday on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“We found a way to win, we can build on that and I think that will help build some character and some determination in our group,” Cousins ​​said in the post-match press conference.

The Falcons won 22-21 after scoring a 70-yard touchdown, capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass from Cousins ​​to wide receiver Drake London with 34 seconds left. Cousins ​​has now won four of his last five Monday Night Football games. It was Raheem Morris’ first victory as Falcons head coach.

On the final play, Cousins ​​completed 5-of-6 passes for 70 yards. He has now scored six touchdowns in the final minute of regulation or overtime since becoming a full-time starter in 2015, according to ESPN Research. Only Derek Carr (8) has more during that span.

In a Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cousins ​​struggled in his first game back after injuring his right Achilles tendon in Week 8 of last season while playing for the Minnesota Vikings. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards, a score and two costly interceptions. It was a disappointing performance for a quarterback, who the Falcons signed to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason.

Things didn’t start smoothly on Monday either. The Falcons scored just one touchdown in the first three quarters. But by the end, Cousins ​​had solid stats: 20-of-29 passing for 241 yards and two scores.

“He’s been getting a lot of flak all week,” said Atlanta safety Jesse Betts III, who scored the game-winning touchdown. “People were saying, ‘Kirk can’t move, Kirk can’t do this.’ Look at his composure. I mean, it wasn’t his first attempt in two minutes.”

More importantly, the Falcons got a much-needed win when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Atlanta in Week 3, another primetime game. The Falcons next host their NFL South Division rivals the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both undefeated, next.

“It’s very important for us to be able to come out here and get the win,” Cousins ​​said. “We had to do it any way we could, and like a lot of NFL games, it came down to the final push. I’m proud of the way we kept playing and fighting.”