PHILADELPHIA — Kirk Cousins didn’t need to say it, however Jessie Bates III lastly admitted it.
That is what the cash is for.
The Atlanta Falcons upset the Philadelphia Eagles 22-21 at Lincoln Monetary Discipline on “Monday Night time Soccer” on the backs of their costliest free-agent acquisitions from the final two offseasons.
Cousins orchestrated a 70-yard game-winning drive that took just one:05 and was capped by a 7-yard landing go to Drake London with 34 seconds left. Bates intercepted a closing desperation go from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts with 19 seconds left to make sure Philadelphia didn’t retake the lead.
The Falcons (1-1) signed Cousins to the most important free-agency deal in NFL historical past this offseason, a four-year contract that might be price as much as $180 million. Two offseasons in the past, Bates was the big-money free-agency addition, signing a four-year, $64 million deal. Along with his game-sealing interception, Bates additionally had a essential go breakup on the objective line towards receiver DeVonta Smith to pressure a area objective within the third quarter.
“I feel if you get in big-time moments and big-time video games, you count on these gamers to make performs,” Bates mentioned. “You lean on these gamers to face up and lead. I do know we speak about cash, however all that stuff doesn’t matter as a lot. It’s about getting the precise guys in right here, guys who can change the sport.”
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And altering the sport sufficient equals getting the cash, proper?
“I assume you can say that,” Bates mentioned with a smile, “for certain.”
Bates additionally led the Falcons with 12 tackles.
“Jessie making these performs was crucial,” coach Raheem Morris mentioned. “It’s the explanation he’s right here. It’s the explanation our possession went out and put all that cash into what we’ve bought occurring, on protection and offense.”
Cousins deferred the cash query with the identical nonchalance he appeared to function the ultimate drive, on which he was 5-for-6 passing for 70 yards.
“That’s not how I feel,” he mentioned. “I’m simply making an attempt to play soccer with my teammates and get out of right here with a win. It’s so vital to search out methods to win. That’s how you place collectively an amazing season, when you could have these video games that may go both means, you discover a method to have it break your means. That’s the best way this league is so when yow will discover these inches, it could actually change the story of the season.”
Cousins’ go to London was Atlanta’s first game-winning landing with below two minutes since 2016, in line with ESPN Stats & Information, and it was the final of six lead adjustments within the sport. With 1:56 left, the Falcons had a 0.7 % probability to win, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats. It was the seventh-most inconceivable comeback since Subsequent Gen Stats started monitoring win chance in 2016.
Fly, Drake, Fly
ESPN | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/kOAF4pIlir
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 17, 2024
“Kirk all through this entire week was getting a lot criticism. ‘Kirk can’t transfer. Kirk can’t do that,’” Bates mentioned. “After which to look at his poise, that wasn’t his first two-minute drive and to see how sharp it was … The leaders on this crew, when it’s time to make a play, that’s who we lean on, and I’m pleased that we bought him.”
Cousins completed 20-for-29 for 241 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and improved his file in “Monday Night time Soccer” begins to 4-10.
“I simply attempt to go play soccer the perfect I can whether or not it’s midday on Sunday or an evening sport, it doesn’t matter what day of the week it’s,” the quarterback mentioned. “You simply attempt to go play your greatest and let it go from there.”
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Darnell Mooney led the Falcons with three catches for 88 yards, together with back-to-back catches for 47 yards on the ultimate drive and a 41-touchdown catch within the third quarter. London had six catches for 54 yards and added one massive sigh of reduction after Younghoe Koo hit a 47-yard further level that was needed as a result of London was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after his tying rating.
“Thank God Koo is an incredible kicker,” London mentioned. “He sealed the deal. That’s all I used to be desirous about after the flag was thrown. I can’t try this. I can’t flash out like that. I can’t put my crew in jeopardy, however Koo got here in and saved us.”
Matt Ryan reacts to the #Falcons game-winning landing on the Manning Forged: pic.twitter.com/TXyM1Dyrk7
— Bryce Lewis (@Bryce_Lewis86) September 17, 2024
Atlanta rushed for 152 yards, led by Bijan Robinson’s 14 carries for 97 yards.
“I believed (offensive coordinator Zac Robinson) did an exceptional job of committing to the run sport,” Cousins mentioned. “I used to be happy with that, and I feel it gave us an opportunity to win on the highway.”
The Falcons had a jubilant locker room celebration. Group proprietor Arthur Clean emerged together with his swimsuit jacket soaked with water that was being splashed round. A number of Atlanta gamers had been excitedly repeating Cousins’ trademark “You want that?!” chant. And Morris got here to the postgame interview session with a sport ball tucked below his arm.
Atlanta, the way you feeling this morning? pic.twitter.com/uC0o3H9MJC
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 17, 2024
That’s so far as the coach is prepared to let the celebration go, although.
“I’m fairly regular,” Morris mentioned. “I didn’t come right here to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. I used to be introduced right here to place us in place to win championships and that’s what we’re going to do. You possibly can’t trip the emotional curler coaster. They’re all the identical. We are going to exit subsequent week and undergo our course of and get proper again to it.”
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Subsequent week means a go to from the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs for “Sunday Night time Soccer” at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Cousins would solely acknowledge one particular second from the weekend. That was seeing former Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on Sunday evening on the crew resort and once more for the coin toss, the place Foles was serving as Philadelphia’s honorary captain. Cousins and Foles arrived at Michigan State as freshmen within the recruiting class of 2007.
“At Michigan State, there was concern about how this was going to work out for each of us,” Cousins mentioned, “and I used to be reminded with him getting honored tonight so I mentioned to him on the coin toss, ‘It labored out for each of us.’”
(Picture: Eric Hartline / Imagn Photographs)
