Kirk Cousins performances are spiraling downward and so are the Atlanta Falcons playoff hopes The Falcons badly need a bounce-back effort from the veteran quarterback on Monday night when they visit the Las Vegas Raiders Atlanta (6-7) has lost four of its last five games including a 31-16 loss to the Chicago Bears at home which has further reduced their chances of securing a playoff spot
The main reason behind their slump has been the subpar performance of quarterback Kirk Cousins Cousins has been struggling to get into rhythm this season except for a few games where he managed to display some glimpses of his actual level of talent The quarterback has been under constant fire from the fans and media after a string of lackluster performances
As Cousins begins his road to redemption it wont be easy as the Raiders have also been playing solid defense The Raiders (8-6) are second in the NFL in opponent passing yards (2868) despite being 25th in terms of passes allowed Theyve also recorded 22 sacks and 9 interceptions making them the 11th seed in total turnovers
The pressure is also mounting on Falcons head coach Arthur Smith With an increasingly dwindling shot at the playoffs Smith knows that his team needs to turn it around as fast as possible and ensure they make a run at the playoffs Smith is aware of the uphill battle lying ahead and understands the gravity of this pressure-packed situation
While Vegas will be coming in with a vengeance following their gritty loss to the New England Patriots in Week 14 theyll also be dealing with a new question mark on their offense With tight end Darren Waller listed as uncertain due to illness Vegas fans will be keeping their fingers crossed in the hope he makes it to the field for this showdown
As the countdown to Monday nights high-stakes showdown begins its rapidly shaping up to be an intense display of strength that should leave onlookers on the edge of their seats The fate of the Falcons lay hanging precariously in the balance and only time will tell if they have the grit to overcome these overwhelming odds