FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has a vision for the offense for the coming season.
He’s hoping that the unit, which banked almost 5,000 offensive plays over the offseason dating to OTAs, can execute the “Four E’s” — explosion, edge, execution and effort.
Cousin, the team’s big free-agency signee who’s coming back from a ruptured Achilles, and the unit will get their first test when the Falcons host the Steelers at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the season-opening game.
Cousins was asked what adjectives he would use to describe the offense by Baillie Burmaster of Atlanta News First (Channel 46).
“Adjectives,” Cousins said. “Descriptive words. Is this ‘Schoolhouse Rock’?”
Then he went into his answer.
“Explosive is something that we really want to be,” Cousins said. “I think having an edge, and then we want to be very good at execution. Hope about the three e’s. If we can be an explosive offense and have some edge to ourselves and execute well, I think we’ll put ourselves in position to be successful. I’ll add a fourth e, for effort. You’ve got to have effort every day.”
“We’ll see if we can do the four e’s this year.”
Cousins, 36, was signed to a four-year contract worth $180 million during free agency. He played in eight games before suffering a season-ending ruptured Achilles.
“We’re really excited to get out there in front of our fans and really see the Benz,” Cousins said. “The energy that we’re going to have. It’s going to be a great atmosphere Sunday. Can’t wait to get that going.”
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson pointed out the number of repetitions the team has run since OTAs.
“To me, that was comforting,” Cousin said. “Comforting because just how much we’ve been through. You can forget easily how much work we’ve put in. We have done a lot to build. Now, it counts. We have to turn that into the real thing. We’ve got to turn that into production.”
Cousins knows that he’ll get hit.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever gone through a game unscathed,” Cousins said. “You do get popped. I’ll probably tell the first guy that hits me, ‘Thank you,’ within reason.”
Cousins is trying to balance his fun side with his serious football side.
“Well, I’m trying to work on that,” Cousins said. “I don’t want there to be a big difference. I think, honestly, my wife would tell me that, you know, you really got to be the guy who’s just cracking jokes and having fun all the time. That’s your best self. So I know she’s right, but it’s hard for me.”
The intense Cousins comes out.
“The focus and the significance of the moment, and so I’m trying to find that balance,” Cousins said. “But I’m sure, you know, my teammates feel a little bit, you know, just when it’s Week One, we all have that a little bit.
“But my goal this year is that whatever that other side of me is would never leave. I would be having a lot of fun playing the game from the first week to the last regardless of what happens. That’s kind of a goal for me.”
Cousins had thought about his return.
“Quite a bit, quite a bit, certainly off the injury, “ Cousins said. ”You have your picture in the moment. You’re back playing, but then also coming to a new team, you know? And even when we warmed up in the (final exhibition) game against Jacksonville, there, you’re trying to envision what it’ll be like in three weeks from that point. That day, when you’re back there on Sunday.”
Falcons coach Raheem Morris believes his quarterback is ready to go.
“I’ve known Kirk from 2012 as a very young tough guy who’s ready to stand in there and take a hit at any time,” Morris said. “I think that’s one of the things that’s required when you are quarterback. I’ve got respect for that guy and his toughness.”
Cousins didn’t play in any exhibition games, but the Falcons believe he’s fully recovered.
“He’s been full-go for a while now,” Morris said. “There’s a natural limitation with the OTAs of staying away from everybody, everybody is standing up. Once training camp started, he’s really a full-go. I’ve kind of protected him with a whistle when there are scrambles. But other than that, he’s a full-go.”
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, who with Cousins was elected a captain, believes he ready to go.
“We watched some film with Kirk, not his office (but in) the quarterback (meeting) room,” Bates said. “Just to see, this is last week before we went on break and has the Steelers, (No.) 39 is right hear. (No.) 25 is right here. He may not show it, but I know he’ll be prepared, and that is how every leader on this team should be.”
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