Kirk Cousins has turned his latest stop into a sharp reminder of how ugly things got in Atlanta.
After two seasons with the Falcons, the veteran quarterback is now thriving with the Las Vegas Raiders, and the contrast is hard to miss. Atlanta signed Cousins in 2024 to a four-year, $180 million deal, only to watch it unravel quickly. He didn’t make it through a full season as the starter, was replaced by Michael Penix Jr. late in 2024, threw 21 interceptions in 22 starts, never got the Falcons to the playoffs, and was released this offseason.
Now he’s back in the conversation for the opposite reason. Cousins is tied with Brock Purdy for the league lead in passing touchdowns and has helped turn the Raiders into one of the league’s early surprises. Las Vegas is 3-1, and the way Cousins is playing has made it hard to imagine the Raiders turning to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza anytime soon.
One of the clearest snapshots came against the Chiefs, when Cousins delivered a touchdown throw that looked a lot more like the quarterback people expected to see in Atlanta.
KIRK COUSINS MAGIC FOR THE TOUCHDOWN! @KCvsLV on CBS/Paramount+
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- NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
The difference, at least from the source material, comes down to the coaching around him. Cousins’ past relationship with Klint Kubiak is paying off in Vegas, while Atlanta’s offensive setup under Zac Robinson is being held up as the reason things went sideways.
With Robinson, the Falcons leaned on a pistol-heavy offense that lacked creativity, with no pre-snap motion or play-action. The unit might have been among the worst in the league without Drake London and Bijan Robinson bailing it out. That same approach is also described as hurting Michael Penix Jr.’s development, especially since he later said playing under center wasn’t that difficult for him.
Robinson’s current job in Tampa Bay has only sharpened the comparison. The Buccaneers are 0-4, have been turning the ball over constantly, and sit 32nd in the NFL in EPA per play through the first month of the season.
Cousins did show some life at the end of last season, but he’s playing at a different level now. In Vegas, with Kubiak in place, he looks revived and far more comfortable. The source’s read is simple: the issue in Atlanta wasn’t just injuries - it was the offense around him.
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