Back in October, it looked like the Atlanta Falcons were going to run away from the NFC South. But after opening November with a 27:21 win over the Dallas Cowboys, a four-game losing streak followed.

The two-win Las Vegas Raiders hosted the Falcons on Monday night, and Atlanta ended its losing streak – albeit in ugly fashion. The Falcons scored just one offensive touchdown in the 15-9 win and quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​finished the night with just 112 passing yards.

The veteran signal caller also increased his NFL-leading interception total when he turned the ball over in the third quarter. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris continues to face questions about whether he will use Cousins ​​in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. given Cousins’ continued poor performances.

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Kirk Cousins ​​(18) watches as head coach Raheem Morris of the Atlanta Falcons talks to the offense and defense during offseason practice at the Atlanta Falcons training complex on May 14, 2024 in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Kevin C Cox/Getty Images)

After the narrow win over Las Vegas, Morris strayed slightly from his usual staunch public defense of Cousins. The head coach admitted the team needed more production from the quarterback.

“He has to play better. We have to find a way to get him to play better. We have to play better at the quarterback position,” the first-year Falcons coach told reporters.

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The Falcons finished Monday’s game with just 261 yards of total offense, much of which came from star running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed for 125 yards. Cousins ​​has thrown a staggering nine interceptions and just one touchdown in the last five games.

Atlanta signed Cousins ​​to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason. According to previous reports, an estimated $100 million is fully guaranteed. Morris and the Falcons’ leadership likely weighed the financial implications of sitting out Cousins ​​and potentially letting him leave at the end of the season.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​throws against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

The Falcons used Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in April, several weeks after signing Cousins. The former Washington Huskies quarterback led the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision with 4,903 passing yards in 2023.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​leaves the field after throwing an interception in the second half against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The decision to sign Penix Jr. was met with questions, but many of those concerns disappeared when Cousins ​​demonstrated his ability to still play at a high level.

The 36-year-old threw for 509 yards in an overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in early October.

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The win over the Raiders allowed the Falcons to remain in playoff contention. The Bucs, riding a four-game winning streak, enter Week 16 in first place in the NFC South.

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