Falcons’ Kirk Cousins on rebounding: ‘Tough times don’t last, but tough people do’

With Cousins coming off a four-interception game, the Falcons (6-6) are set to face the Vikings (10-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota.

Cousins was the Vikings’ starting quarterback for the six previous seasons after starting his career in Washington. He went to three Pro Bowls for the Vikings and took them to the playoffs twice, in 2019 and 2022.

“We’ve got a great test this week,” Cousins said. “It’s a place where there will be a lot of noise. It’s a great defense. Statistically, they are ranked very high in many categories.”

The Vikings allowed the veteran to reach free agency, and the Falcons were so eager to swoop in they were busted for tampering by the NFL. The landed Cousins with a four-year deal worth up to $180 million and were fined for tampering with Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner.

“That’s kind of the challenge in pro football is being able to get back up and off the mat,” Cousins said. “Get back up and going. Try to put together a much stronger performance and get back on the right track as quickly as you can.”

Cousins is confident that he can rebound.

“It’s not the first time, unfortunately, that I’ve had to have done that,” Cousins said. “Certainly, it’s something that in pro football that you’re aware that you have to do. This week will be no different.

The Falcons believe Cousins will rebound.

“Kirk is ready to go,” Morris said. “Obviously, it was a tough game and all those type of things. He’s been through a lot in his career, having tough games. Not necessarily as tough as that one. Probably one other like that. But realistically, he’s built for this. He’s ready to go.”

Morris is not downplaying Cousins’ return to Minnesota.

“I think you address all of those things,” Morris said. “It’s not one of those things where you can pull the ostrich technique. ... You kind of have to talk about the elephant in the room. Going back to where he’s from. It’s going to be a loud environment.” To prepare for the loud environment, the Falcons had loud music blaring throughout practice.

“The environment that they create is Minnesota is absolutely outstanding,” Morris said. “We have to go up there and deal with that. That alone will be just enough to talk about, be enough to kind of embrace the moment. Be able to talk about those things.”

The Falcons believe that Cousins knowledge of the Vikings and the stadium will be helpful.

“With Kirk in particular, we definitely know it’s going to be a hostile environment or is it going to be a friendly environment,” Morris said. “You never know which one it’s going to be. But you assume is going to be hostile for him. You assume that it’s going to be a lot worked up in his body, just because of how he played last week and his ability to learn and prepare. His ability to go out there and perform.”

Cousins threw four interceptions only once before, but that was in 2014 against the Giants when he was playing for Washington.

“I’ve got so much confidence in the young man,” Morris said. “Just bouncing through his deal, dealing with whatever he wants to do … being ready to go out there and play his old team and absolutely perform. He has a couple of old teams. He done it before and I look forward to him doing it again.”

Cousins, who’s coming off Achilles surgery, has had a bizarre season.

After a slow start, he got hot and passed for a career-high 509 yards in a 36-30 win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 3. Cousins has not been the same since the 20-17 loss to the Saints on Nov. 14, where he was sacked three times and hit nine times. He was listed on the team’s lengthy injury report Nov. 14, when he was limited in practice with a cause listed only as “right shoulder, right elbow.”

Before he was pulled in the 38-6 loss to the Broncos on Nov. 17, Cousins was sacked four times and hit six more times.

After a week off for the bye, Cousins was sacked once and hit four times against the Chargers. He has not thrown a touchdown pass in the previous three games and has six interceptions.

The Falcons are confidence he will rebound.

“Kirk Cousins, the ability to get him this year, go out there and get him free agency and having the confidence in him to come in here and put us in position that we are in,” Morris said. “He’s done a great job for us. He’s done a great job with us. I have not real qualms about him bouncing back and being able to play the game the way it needs to be done.”

The skills the Falcons’ coveted, Cousins’ still possesses.

“He’s still an elite processor, Morris said. “He has the ability to make all of the throws. He’s shown that at times throughout the year. We didn’t play our best game. It’s that simple. That’s something that we have to accept and take onus of.”

The Falcons are planning to let Cousins work through his problems at practice.

“We just haven’t played well the last game and a half of that Denver game,” Morris said. “Whatever the case maybe. We have to get him back going to where he feels comfortable and we’re able to do things we want to do. Where we can execute and the ball into our playmakers’ hands.”

Like all coaches, Morris called it a team effort.

“It’s not just Kirk,” Morris said. “It’s really the whole offense. It’s really all of us. It’s really the whole team. We have to find ways to win those football games.”

Falcons backup quarterback Michael Penix Jr. knows that this will be a tough week for Cousins.

“I just say, stay true to yourself,” Penix said. “I know Kirk will. He knows the guy that he is.”

The Falcons are expecting Cousins to handle the reunion with ease.

“He’s a pro,” wide receiver Darnell Mooney said. “I think it’ll put some fire under him to go back ... go back and make some plays. It’s a good story for everybody to help him win that game.”