ATL Standard

Kirk Cousins, the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, spent his bye week in Saugatuck, Michigan. Despite taking a break from football, he found himself reflecting on the team's recent losses. Known for setting high standards for himself, Cousins has worked with team psychologists to maintain his mental focus during his first season with Atlanta.

"I think quarterback is such a mental position, certainly," Cousins remarked. "I think there's always something you can learn and glean. It helps to just have good communication and get good input."

Cousins' performance this season has been strong overall, with over 2,800 passing yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week twice. However, recent defeats against the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos have left him without a touchdown pass in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Upon returning from his break, Cousins was focused as he prepared to face the Los Angeles Chargers' top-ranked scoring defense. Head coach Raheem Morris praised Cousins' preparation: "He's probably one of the more fun people that I've been around coming off byes."

The Falcons are working on addressing penalties and other self-inflicted issues as they remain a top-10 offensive team in several categories. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson emphasized execution as key: "You take a look at the big picture and you're like, man, we've done some really good things."

The upcoming game against the Chargers presents a challenge due to their strong defensive statistics. However, Los Angeles has allowed over 25 points in its last two games against high-scoring teams.

"It's an execution game," Robinson noted about facing the Chargers' defense.

Despite setbacks in recent weeks, Cousins remains optimistic about improving as they enter this crucial part of the season.

"I do know how long the NFL season is with 17 games," said Cousins. "That was a great week for me...and I think we handled the week in a way that should help me feel really good about this stretch run here."