The Atlanta Falcons sealed a last-minute victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, thanks to a remarkable performance from Kirk Cousins. With just 34 seconds remaining, Cousins connected with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown ensuring a Falcons win by 22-21. This was possible due to an unfortunate drop of a short pass by Saquon Barkley of the Eagles, which stopped the clock at 1:46, forcing the opposition to settle for a field goal.
Barkley regretfully admitted his mistake during the post-game press conference saying he had let his team down and placed a load on his defense. He defended the decision to pass, describing it as a great play call. Barkley acknowledged that games are often determined by a few key plays, and it hurts more when those plays turn out to be errors.
Returning to the field after a major injury, 36-year-old veteran Cousins demonstrated resilience and skill. Despite an uneven effort during the game, he managed to connect with Darnell Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the final drive.
The scoring continued with Cousins finding London on a right-pass for the tying score. Afterwards, Younghoe Koo led the Atlanta Falcons to victory with a 48-yard extra point following an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on London.
However, the Philadelphia Eagles weren’t without highlights. Jalen Hurts managed a 1-yard tush push score to take the lead with less than seven minutes remaining. Saquon Barkley, despite his costly error, delivered a strong performance with 95 yards on 22 carries in his home debut for Philadelphia.
In the end, a key interception of Hurts’ final pass by Jessie Bates III sealed Atlanta’s win. The result boosted the morale of Cousins who recently signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons, reinforcing their confidence in his ability to lead the team.
