LAS VEGAS – The Atlanta Falcons ended their four-game losing streak and kept their hopes of winning the NFC South alive with a 15-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Monday night. But there’s still one glaring problem with the team: its quarterback play.

Kirk Cousins ​​was 11 of 17 for 112 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a game where the Falcons relied heavily on their running game. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combined for 34 runs.

Cousins ​​now has nine interceptions in his last five games with just a single touchdown pass in that span. His 30-yard lob to wide receiver Drake London in the first quarter was his first touchdown pass since Week 9, back when the Falcons were 6-3 and in complete control of their division.

“He has to play better and obviously you have to go back, you have to look at everything,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “But he wants to play better. He has to play better. We have to find a way to get him to play better.”

Morris didn’t say he was ready to move on at quarterback. The Falcons selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft back in April, just weeks after signing Cousins ​​to a four-year, $180 million free agent contract.

Atlanta (7-7) focused so much on the running game that Cousins ​​didn’t throw a first down once in the first half. This was the first time in his 13-year career.

Cousins ​​threw two interceptions against the Minnesota Vikings last week but had 344 yards through the air. Those big plays weren’t possible against the Raiders and the Falcons went 4 of 13 on third down.

Morris said Cousins ​​improved against the Vikings and had a four-interception performance in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Chargers. When asked if Monday represented an improvement or a regression for him, Cousins ​​said it was “a little of both” and that the biggest thing for him right now is about “making decisions.”

“So you don’t put the ball in danger and you don’t try to be too aggressive,” Cousins ​​said. “And I think that’s really the key: protecting the football.”

It was the fewest number of interceptions he has thrown in three games, and Cousins ​​had no errors. He leads the league in both categories – 16th and 12th, respectively (tied with Baker Mayfield). But the trip certainly didn’t meet his expectations.

When Cousins ​​was asked about Morris’ comments about needing to play better, the quarterback said, “I don’t think that’s a mystery.”

“I think the last few weeks I would say I need to play better,” Cousins ​​said. “Raheem says it, but it’s stating the obvious, and every week you kind of go through your process and plan to go out and play the best you can. And so this week will be no different.”