It took the Falcons one game to instantly regret signing Kirk Cousins

This past Sunday, it only took eight pass attempts for the Atlanta Falcons to fully realize what they have gotten themselves into after signing former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason.

On the second play of his second-ever offensive drive as a member of the Falcons, Cousins threw an ugly interception, and it was just the beginning of what turned out to be a very underwhelming debut with Atlanta for the former Vikings quarterback.

Cousins and the Falcons wound up suffering a disappointing 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their regular-season opener this past weekend, and the veteran signal-caller finished with just 155 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Former Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins looks terrible in Atlanta Falcons debut

Maybe it was Week 1 nerves, unfamiliarity with his new teammates, or what Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris recently described as Cousins shaking off "some rust," but the 36-year-old quarterback looked nothing like the player that he was during his final two seasons with Minnesota.

Many have also noted Cousins' extreme lack of mobility that was on display in the loss to the Steelers and how he might not be completely recovered from his torn Achilles. Morris and the Falcons have denied this, but the evidence is pretty clear for everyone to see.

This offseason, thanks to the franchise's desperate need for a new starting quarterback, Atlanta was the only team in the league that was willing to give Cousins the type of contract he was hoping to land. But after Week 1, it's fair to estimate that the deal they gave him could turn out to be one of the worst contracts in the history of the NFL.

What's a little crazy is that the Falcons' puzzling selection of former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft last April now actually makes some sense. Whether they would ever admit it or not, Atlanta probably knew that Cousins's Achilles injury could still be a problem this season before drafting Penix, and they decided to select the young passer as a backup plan.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, Cousins's performance likely isn't going to get any better in Week 2 when they have to face the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in a primetime Monday night matchup. If the former Vikings quarterback has another disappointing outing, the cries for Penix to start from Falcons fans are only going to get louder.

More Vikings News and Analysis