NEW ORLEANS – Here’s what Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins had to say after the 20-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday:
Opening statement: “It was certainly a tough loss I felt like we had chances to win the football game or at least take the lead late in the game. Not being able to do it is difficult. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. This will be one that you’re sick over. I just felt like the second third down of the game was a play to not connect with Drake on that one was frustrating. We had a chance there to convert, get into scoring range. Help us start fast. Having to punt there was very frustrating because it was just inches from being a big conversion for us. Throughout the game, plays like that showed up. That’s pro football, that’s the thing about this league. You can get beat when you make a little mistake or don’t play at your highest level. It can be the difference in winning and losing so you always play with that focus and awareness of the importance of every snap. Today, coming out of the game you feel that because of how many plays carried that kind of feeling. Take any questions that you have.”
On the fourth quarter opportunities: “It does run together right now….on the flight home, I’ll definitely be watching it and have an answer for you. (There) was a third down throw down the pick to Ray Ray McCloud, I would have love to have connected on. There was a check-down to Bijan on the play before that I would have loved to connected on to give us a more manageable third down. Certainly, the interception was a play where I was being too aggressive. I would have loved to be more patient and taken Kyle Pitts underneath or progressed to Ray Ray. I did stay patient all game long and then in that moment, was just too aggressive. Then, the final drive, certainly we ran out of clock there. The sack didn’t help. The sack, fumble. Would have loved to have just stayed positive there and avoid the negative play that we had to overcome. So, there was a lot there. It is tough”
On if it was too long to try a field goal before the last play: “I’m not sure. I haven’t to talk to the coaches about that. So, I’m not sure.”
On how he is handling the loss, Morris was positive: “I think it’s a good way to approach it. I’ve learned that not much is going to get Coach (Morris). He stays very level. Very positive. I do internalize it and it hurts. It hurts for him, too. You’ve got to have your process of watching it and talking through it with teammates and coaches, fixing things and you get back on the horse. You get back to work. Losses like this are always tough.”
On if he said anything to Koo, who beat the Saints with a 58-yarder earlier this season: “I don’t feel great about leaving it in the field goal team’s hands. I think it’s important that we stay on the field, score touchdowns in the redzone. Avoid the penalties that back us up in the redzone. Execute down there so that we are scoring touchdowns. I’ve always felt that when you kick field goals you tend to lose and when you score touchdowns you tend to win. So, that’s important…that’s kind of where I take my focus.”
On the sack-fumble. Coverage or breakdown of the line: “Well, not being to watch the film, it’s hard to say. I’m not looking at it. I think longer yardage situations kind of play into their hands. If you’re in third-and-long or if you’re in….some of those we got longer distances. They did a good job with both, with coverage and their rush. You have to credit the way they played today, the speed with which they played and the way they covered. They did a good job.”
On the third down throw to Drake: “It’s a long game. Against the Panthers, we missed a third down early. You just play through it. Stay the course. You know it’s a long game. Even with the interception, you exit the field thinking that was it, but you get the ball back with plenty of time and a timeout. You just keep playing and you believe…I’ve played in this league long enough to know that opportunities will present themselves. You just have to keep moving forward. In looking back after a loss, there are always going to be those plays that you say, I would have love to have made that one.”
On the slow start of the passing attack: “I think it was good tight coverage and we weren’t able to connect on the corner route to Mooney out there on the left. Sideline, we didn’t connect the out-route on the right on third down. Both were tight coverage. I can’t remember all of them right now….credit their tight coverage.”
On the third-and-8 to Pitts: “I just felt like the coverage had been pushing away from the single receiver for most the day. I felt like we had a chance there. That was a tremendous play by Kyle. One-on-one to go make a big-time play in tight coverage. Proud of the way he made that play.”
On the differences between the Saints from the previous matchup: “No, I wouldn’t say that. I think they just ….they were a good defense against us the last time and they were a good defense today.”
About the Author
