Nerdy Birds: Kirk Cousins and new additions on defense

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- After months of working and waiting the season is finally upon us.

The Falcons will open the 2024 NFL season looking far different from the squad that closed out the 2023 season in New Orleans nine long months ago. With a new coaching staff in place and scores of changes across the roster, Atlanta enters its season opener against Pittsburgh with an abundance of both hope and promise. No where is that felt more than at the quarterback position.

It is no secret that the team has struggled at the position in the post-Matt Ryan era. Week 1 will see Kirk Cousins debut in red and black as he aims to be a stabilizing force for the offense. In the volatile world of the NFL, stability is a precious commodity, particularly at quarterback, and it has been a hallmark of Cousins' career. Cousins has been extremely durable, missing just one game between becoming a full-time starter in 2015 and his injury last season.

As you would expect, Cousins has the counting stats to go along with that longevity, leading the NFL in passing yards (36,441), ranking second in completions (3,225) and throwing the second-most touchdown passes (252) among active players over that span. His consistency and stability go beyond the standard box score, though. When head coach Raheem Morris talked about finding an answer at quarterback during his introductory press conference, he spoke about what high-level quarterback play looks like.

"When you get those guys that are elite processors," Morris said. "When you get those guys that are decision makers, when you get those guys that can just cut it loose and play ball and also play with those great fundamental techniques that we talked about - the base, the balance, the short hitches in the pocket, some of those things - it makes you excited to go out there and find those things."

It's hard to argue the Falcons haven't found those things in Cousins.

He is accurate, owning the third-best completion percentage among active players since 2015 (67.6) and the best completion percentage over expectation (+4.4 percent) since Next Gen Stats began player tracking in 2016. In addition to his accuracy, Cousins is also a master of timing and playing within the offense.

Since 2016, he has had more "in rhythm" dropbacks than any other quarterback in the NFL. Those plays are defined as dropbacks with a time to throw between 2.5 and 4 seconds, considered as the standard for plays within the structure and timing of the offense by Next Gen Stats.

Cousins has thrown for more yards (19,007) and touchdowns (123) than any other quarterback on in-rhythm throws over that span. He also leads the NFL in completion percentage (67.4) and CPOE (+5.9 percent) on those plays while generating a whopping 1,139 dropbacks with positive expected points added, again the most in the league.

The fact that Cousins has put up these impressive numbers over a long period of time is both impressive and important, but he's not just a volume shooter that has benefited from starting for nearly a decade. He has continued to hone these vital skills throughout his career.

Despite missing nine games last season, Cousins ranks second in touchdowns (35) and completion percentage (68%) and third in quarterback rating (102.5) and CPOE (4.9 percent) on in-rhythm throws since 2022.

His numbers over the last two seasons should be of particular interest to Falcons fans as they came under the direction of head coach and play caller Kevin O'Connell. The Vikings head coach previously worked as the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator where Falcons' offensive coordinator Zac Robinson worked as an offensive assistant.

While the offenses will have their differences, they will share significant DNA.

What has worked well for Cousins over the course of his career also worked well for him in Minnesota and it can be expected to continue in Atlanta.

Although he has not seen game action since midway through last season, Cousins was playing some of the best football of his career at the time of his injury. Through eight games in 2023, he ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (2,331) and touchdowns (18) while completing 68.5% of his passes for a CPOE of +4.6%.

At that time, the Vikings were leaning heavily into his precision timing.

Cousins led the league with 196 in-rhythm dropbacks while tossing a league-high 14 touchdown passes and an NFL-best 115.2 passer rating. Cousins will get the ball where it needs to be, when it needs to be there and that has the potential to unlock Atlanta's marquee skill position players in a way that has not been seen since Ryan was under center.

Bolstering the defense

There is no doubt the Falcons made major additions on offense this offseason, including the aforementioned Cousins. Some may argue that those additions left questions for some about the status of the defensive side of the ball for a team that has knowingly struggled in pass rush the past few seasons.

The additions of Bud Dupree and Calais Campbell in 2023 provided some hope for disrupting the passer as their team-leading 6.5 sacks helped the defense double its sack total from 21 to 42 from 2022, which was tied for the sixth-most sacks in a single season in franchise history. It was the largest year-over-year increase by the Falcons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 and was the third-largest year-over-year improvement by any team in the NFL over the past three seasons. However, that duo is no longer with the Falcons.

The defensive line impressed during training camp, but as roster development is a constant evolution, Atlanta decided to make big swings the past month.

Within a week span, the team both elevated the pass rush and the secondary. The Falcons traded for four-time Pro Bowler Matthew Judon on Aug. 14 who, though his season was cut short due to injury in 2023, is one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL since entering the league in 2016. From 2021-22, he was one of six players in the NFL to record double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons, registering 28 sacks in that span, tied with T.J. Watt for the third-most in the NFL. There is no doubt he can disrupt the passer. His 53 quarterback hits over the double-digit sack seasons were the fifth-most in the NFL. A versatile pass rusher is what Atlanta wanted to add and that is what the organization believes it got in Judon.

"Anytime you can add a dog to your group and have him to be able to come in and be a part of that, that is exciting. I think we have excitement for that. I think he has excitement for that," Morris said. "His reputation precedes himself."

Atlanta not only made big swings on the edge, the club made moves to improve the secondary, too, adding a four-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl safety in Justin Simmons.

Since entering the league in 2016, Simmons has recorded a league-leading 30 interceptions. The veteran safety has notched at least three picks in each of his professional seasons since 2018, the only player in the NFL to do so. Another player to register at least three interceptions in consecutive seasons? Jessie Bates III, who Simmons joins in the Falcons' secondary.

Last season, Bates registered a league-high-tying six interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. Since 2016, both Bates and Simmons are one of five players to register at least 20 interceptions and 600 tackles.

As Morris said, "the unique and great ball skills that they have makes those two guys special." The pairing of Simmons and 2023-addition Bates is one that people are looking forward to.

To have only joined the team a few weeks ago and be full-go for Week 1 should tell you the type of players that both Judon and Simmons are.

For a team hungry to get back into the playoff scene, the pieces certainly seem to be coming together.