Falcons save best for last in Monday night rally against Eagles

PHILADELPHIA — Kirk Cousins ​​exorcised his Monday Night Football demons and gave the Atlanta Falcons their first crucial victory of the season on a single drive.

Down six yards and with 1:39 remaining, Cousins ​​carried the Falcons 70 yards and found receiver Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown that gave the Falcons the lead with 34 seconds left. Atlanta ran away from Lincoln Financial Field with a 22-21 victory in Week 2. Cousins ​​improved to 4-10 on Monday night and has won four of his last five MNF games.

Cousins ​​completed 20 of 29 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Falcons running back Bijan Robinson rushed for 97 yards on 14 carries and 122 total yards from the goal line. The Eagles took the lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jalen Hurts with 6:47 left.

Here are the most important things to know Monday night for both teams:

For most of the eight quarters, the Falcons looked like they really needed to figure things out on offense.

For the second straight week, the team struggled on that side of the ball, which was supposed to be a major asset with the addition of quarterback Kirk Cousins. But Cousins ​​had yet to return to form after missing most of his 2023 season with a torn right Achilles tendon. And, despite a potent ground attack, Atlanta was unable to convert on third down or in the red zone.

Until the final moments of the game. Cousins ​​carried the team 70 yards and connected with receiver Drake London for the game-winning touchdown with just 34 seconds left. It didn’t erase the uneven play of Atlanta’s offense in the first two games. But it was enough to add a notch to the win column, at the very least.

The Falcons really needed a win against the Eagles. Things could get dicey over the next few weeks, especially given the way the team has been playing. Atlanta will host the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs in prime time next week. After that? The Falcons will host their arch-rivals, the New Orleans Saints, and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both teams, Atlanta’s NFC South opponents, are currently undefeated.

Cousins ​​and the Falcons must hope that last-minute moves become the rule, not the exception. This is the NFL, and things get late, very early here.

Promising trend: Bijan Robinson was a focal point of the team’s offense, which was a criticism of the Falcons’ play in 2023. The second-year running back became the first Falcons running back to have 100 or more rushing yards in each of the team’s first two games of a season since Michael Turner in 2011.

Mind-blowing statistic: Cousins ​​has 51 touchdowns against the blitz over the past five seasons, tying him with Josh Allen for the most passes in the NFL over that span. Patrick Mahomes is third with 47. It’s a glimpse of what the Falcons could have if Cousins ​​returns to his pre-injury form.

The biggest hole in the game plan: The Falcons’ secondary was pretty good and the pass rush had its moments, but Hurts was able to improvise and create big plays with his feet. Atlanta had no answer for him, and Hurts was able to convert two big fourth downs, three crucial third downs and score a touchdown with his legs. — Marc Raimondi

Next game: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, September 22)

Life without receiver AJ Brown can be tough. The Eagles were reminded of that Monday night in their battle with the Falcons, with Brown out with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for a few games.

Still, it looked like they had what it took to beat the Falcons, and then the wheels came off. Atlanta mounted a six-play, 70-yard drive in 1:05 to stun the Lincoln Financial Field crowd and drop the Eagles to 1-1.

The road gets tougher from here. They’ll play the very hot New Orleans Saints and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before a bye week.

Adversity has hit this team early. After a 1-6 loss late last season, all eyes will be on the Eagles’ ability to bounce back from a crushing defeat.

Describe the game in two words: Brutal defeat. The victory was in the Eagles’ hands before Atlanta snatched it with a 70-yard, six-play drive in the final moments. A last-minute effort by the Eagles’ offense resulted in a Hurts interception.

Pivot piece: With a three-point lead with less than two minutes left, the Eagles faced a third-and-3 deep in Atlanta territory. Hurts had Saquon Barkley open in the flat, but Barkley let the ball slip away, forcing Philadelphia to settle for a field goal. Moments later, the Falcons mounted their winning offense.

Worrying trend: Eagles defenders struggled to pressure the quarterback for the second straight week. Most of the focus will be on Bryce Huff, the former Jet who signed a three-year, $51 million contract in free agency to help offset the eventual departure of Haason Reddick. He hasn’t faced any pressure through two games.

Mind-blowing statistic: Kirk Cousins ​​was pressured on just 2 of 14 dropbacks (14%) in the first half, the lowest rate he’s faced in a half since Week 1 of 2023. — Tim McManus

Next game: at the New Orleans Saints (1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, September 22)