Things were never going to end well for the Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The shocking drafting of rookie Michael Penix Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft turned a real honeymoon period for Cousins ​​and Atlanta into a doomed romance.

Despite all the detailed explanations, it never made any concrete sense why the Falcons wanted to spend so much long-term capital on Cousins ​​in free agency and sign the person who would eventually replace him in the same offseason. The actual reasoning was probably much more complicated.

The best guess is that Atlanta signed Cousins ​​with the genuine intention of turning things around with him at the helm, fell head over heels for Penix as a prospect when it was too late to rescind the Cousins ​​signing to do so, refusing to let Penix escape and drafting him despite the momentum it would create.

The Falcons always had an enticing rookie quarterback in the wings for a time like this, when Cousins’ physical limitations, age and confidence made him nearly unplayable.

Because as much as the idea of ​​Cousins ​​playing with the team for two or three seasons before passing the torch to Penix sounded great on paper and in press conferences, there was always the possibility that that schedule would hit hyperdrive , when cousins ​​had problems in a meaningful way.

Cousins, who threw nine picks and a single touchdown in five games, looked like a statue in the pocket and went 1-4 in the stretch, served as the catalyst for his benching Tuesday.

Cousins’ miserable performance on Monday night against a weak Las Vegas Raiders defense sealed the decision. Although Atlanta got the win, the offense appeared to be stuck as Cousins ​​threw the ball and was unable to escape even the slightest defensive pressure. The writing was on the wall.

The Falcons, who were 7-7 and showed real potential on defense, special teams and the run game, had to look at the stagnant passing game and the quarterback behind it and make the incredibly difficult decision to admit defeat.

Make no mistake. Atlanta’s signing of Cousins ​​will be one of the big misses of the 2024 NFL offseason, and the much-derided draft pick of Penix has given the Falcons the blessing of hindsight to capitalize on the eventual misstep of signing Cousins to find an immediate path forward.

Although Cousins ​​played well in October (as he usually does), he continued to struggle against top-flight defenses. Since he turns 37 next season, it’s fair to wonder if Father Time has just come to show Cousins ​​the door. It’s always possible he gets healthier and becomes more of his old self with more time left before his Achilles tendon injury in 2023, but that’s not a lock.

Since his contract is highly tradeable, another NFL team could very easily send a mid-round pick to Atlanta this spring to take a chance on him. Maybe Cousins ​​wants to retire and avoid further decline in his admirable NFL career. It’s hard to say what Cousins ​​is thinking right now, but his bench move signals that his Falcons days are cut short.

Penix will inherit a good offensive line and plenty of options in the passing game to finish the season, and it’s possible he could start a playoff game next month if Atlanta can punch a ticket to the postseason. Even if the team falls behind, a winning record is still within reach. Giving Penix some live reps before the 2025 offseason is a win considering where things stand for the team.

The process for launching Penix was flawed for Atlanta. The team guaranteed Cousins ​​$100 million to start in 14 games and split it down the middle for wins and losses. This is almost a touch of Russell Wilson/Denver Broncos level of veteran quarterback recruiting.

However, like the Broncos, the Falcons can do this if their rookie quarterback can play at a high level (or at least run the offense successfully). Cousins ​​can likely redeem himself with a new franchise next season if he also manages to recover from his dismal spiral in 2024

Both teams made some bad mistakes in this ugly split, Atlanta off the field and Cousins ​​on it. However, hearts will beat faster if Penix works out for the Falcons and Cousins ​​can finish his career on a positive note elsewhere. It’s just a wash for the Cousins ​​era in Atlanta.