Cousins ​​found Drake London for a 30-yard touchdown pass to open the game Monday night, but the Falcons did not reach the end zone for the remaining 45 minutes and 14 seconds of game time. For Cousins, this ended a 17-quarter drought without a TD score, marking the first time in his career that he went four games without scoring.

During the Falcons’ four-game losing streak, in which Cousins ​​threw no touchdowns and eight interceptions, head coach Raheem Morris steadfastly supported acquiring the veteran free agent, despite loud calls for first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. to be given a chance.

However, Morris’ attitude was a little different after Monday’s win, underscoring the need for improvement in the play at the QB position.

“He has to play better,” Morris said. “And you know, of course, you have to go back and look at everything, but he wants to play better, he has to play better, we have to find a way to get him to play better and of course we will do that.” Get to work tomorrow, it’s part of our process, right?

“You go and look at the tape, check it with the people it needs to be checked with. We’re going to get all the coordinators in the room, we’re going to talk to everyone and we have to play better at the quarterback position.”

Cousins ​​spoke to reporters at the podium some time after his head coach interview and didn’t bat an eyelid when asked about Morris’ comments. It’s hardly a mystery, he knows he needs to step up his game.

“Yeah, I think I need to play better, I don’t think it’s a mystery,” Cousins ​​said. “I think the last few weeks I would say I need to play better. Raheem says it, but it’s stating the obvious, and every week you kind of go through your process and plan to go out there and play the best you can,” and so this week will be no different.

When asked where he thinks he needs to improve, Cousins ​​delivered another no-brainer not long after throwing his league-leading 16^Th Interception of the season – which is already a career high with three games left to play.

“I think it’s all about making decisions so you don’t put the ball in danger,” he said. “And not try to be too aggressive, and I think that’s really the key to protecting the football.”

After taking a 7-0 lead with London’s touchdown with 14 seconds left in the first quarter, Atlanta eventually built a 15-3 lead early in the fourth quarter. Still, the Falcons had to settle for two field goals from Younghoe Koo as their only other offense (the defense recorded a safety), allowing Las Vegas to hold on. Luckily, Atlanta held on, but it wasn’t because of Cousins’ heroics.

Therefore, when Morris was pressed to replace Cousins ​​with Penix, he was somewhat diplomatic but left room for interpretation.

“You know we have everyone on our roster for a reason,” Morris said. “We have so much to improve and these things are always discussed, it’s the nature of football. There’s just so much talk about it at the quarterback position because there’s only one guy out there. So.” “We, man, our mentality is to find a way to win the next game.”

Cousins ​​has now thrown for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and those stunning 16 picks, leading the Falcons to a .500 quarterback record in 14 games in the first season of a lucrative free-agent contract.

Atlanta was back on the podium and Cousins ​​found the end zone after a painful and long absence.

There’s still a lot of improvement to be made going forward, however, as the Falcons prepare for games against the New York Giants, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers in what will be an uphill climb in the postseason.

“I think the interception at the start of the second half was bad, that’s the part you don’t want to have at all,” Cousins ​​said when asked if he thought Monday was a step forward or a step back . “The defense did a great job up there and then the special teams performed so it didn’t hurt us at the end, but you know it still happened. I think there were just those third downs where we would have liked to be able to convert, stay on the field, and that’s where all the work would have been in the passing game, and we just couldn’t get it done tonight. “