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Kirk Cousins acknowledges he must play better if Atlanta Falcons are to make a playoff push

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Kirk Cousins acknowledges he must play better if Atlanta Falcons are to make a playoff push


LAS VEGAS — If the Atlanta Falcons are going to make a playoff push, coach Raheem Morris and quarterback Kirk Cousins both know the 13-year veteran needs to improve his performance over the last three games of the season.

“He’s got to play better,” Morris said after the Falcons escaped Monday night with a 15-9 road win over the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. “Obviously, you’ve got to go back and look at everything. But he wants to play better, he’s got to play better, we’ve got to find a way to get him to play better.”

Cousins was a lackluster 11-of-17 passing for 112 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He entered with no touchdown passes and eight interceptions over his previous four starts.

In 159 career starts, it was Cousins’ third-fewest number of completions and fourth-lowest total in passing yards.

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“I think I need to play better. I don’t think that’s a mystery,” said Cousins, who leads the NFL with a career-high 16 interceptions. “I think the last few weeks, I would say I need to play better. Raheem says it, but it’s stating the obvious.

“Every week you kind of go through your process and you plan to go out there and play the very best you can, and so this week will be no different.”

When asked where his biggest area of improvement lies, Cousins was forthright in saying he has to do a better job of protecting the football.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws under pressure from Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo (5) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/David Becker

“I think it’s always just decision-making so that you’re not putting the ball in harm’s way and not trying to be too aggressive,” said Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract before the season. “I think really the key, you know, protecting the football.”

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Before his four-week drought, Cousins never endured consecutive weeks without a touchdown pass.

Now, with Atlanta sitting one game back of the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South, the pressure is mounting — with rookie Michael Penix Jr. waiting in the wings to potentially spark the offense.

“We’ve got everybody on our roster for a reason, right?” Morris said, with team owner Arthur Blank sitting in the room. “We’ve got so much to get better at, and those things will always be discussed. That’s just the nature of the beast in football.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) is pressured by Las...

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) is pressured by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/David Becker

“It’s just so heavily talked about at the quarterback position, because there’s only one guy out there. So like for us, man, our mentality is to find a way to win the next game. That’s just the mentality that I’m going to have.”



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Atlanta, GA

Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Atlanta

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Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Atlanta


Atlanta Hawks (19-21, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (21-18, eighth in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Golden State will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Warriors face Atlanta.

The Warriors are 13-5 on their home court. Golden State is 9-12 against opponents over .500.

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The Hawks have gone 12-10 away from home. Atlanta ranks second in the league scoring 17.6 fast break points per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the Hawks averaging 3.9.

The Warriors average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.8 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Warriors allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jimmy Butler III is averaging 19.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is averaging 25.7 points and 5.1 assists over the past 10 games.

Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Hawks. Jalen Johnson is averaging 21.1 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 7-3, averaging 120.1 points, 42.5 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.0 points per game.

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Hawks: 4-6, averaging 116.9 points, 42.4 rebounds, 31.9 assists, 10.1 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Seth Curry: out (thigh).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Zaccharie Risacher: out (knee), CJ McCollum: out (quad), N’Faly Dante: out for season (knee), Corey Kispert: out (hamstring).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Flood watch expands into metro Atlanta ahead of severe storm threat

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Flood watch expands into metro Atlanta ahead of severe storm threat


A powerful weather front is moving into metro Atlanta, prompting officials to expand flood watches as “wave-after-wave” of heavy rain threatens to saturate the region through Saturday.

The FOX 5 Storm Team warn that storm totals could reach four inches in some areas, with isolated spots in North Georgia potentially seeing up to six inches.

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Flood Watch in northwest Georgia

What we know:

A Flood Watch is currently in effect through Saturday evening for a large portion of North Georgia. The region is bracing for widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches. Some areas could see locally higher amounts reaching up to 6 inches before a cold front moves through Saturday afternoon to end the threat.

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“The rain train is wide open and here it comes,” said FOX 5 Storm Team chief meteorologist David Chandley. “We got waves of rain tonight and storms. They’re going to be with us tonight and right on through Saturday.”

In the northwest, the watch includes Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield counties.

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Flooding risk, high winds

Local perspective:

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Thunderstorms expected overnight and into early Saturday morning are a primary concern. 

The primary concern for North Georgia remains damaging winds and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding. While the threat of severe weather is lower Friday night, the FOX 5 Storm Team expects conditions to change as the front arrives Saturday morning.

“Flooding [is] possible in Northwest Georgia with that severe threat,” Chandley said. “I expect we may see some of those [flash flood warnings] across North Georgia late tonight and early tomorrow because that ground is going to be saturated.”

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A Level 1 “marginal risk” for severe storms has been issued for most of the area, though regions near Columbus face a slightly higher “slight risk.” Forecasters noted that while the atmosphere currently lacks the instability for massive thunderstorms, a “brief, spin-up tornado” cannot be ruled out on Saturday.

What’s next:

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Sunday: Windy and much colder, with highs struggling to reach the 40s and 50s.

Monday: Temperatures are expected to plummet into the 20s by Monday morning.

The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team.

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Atlanta, GA

Serious crashes block Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, Lawrenceville Highway early Friday

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Serious crashes block Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, Lawrenceville Highway early Friday


A major crash involving eight vehicles shut down all southbound lanes of the Downtown Connector early Friday morning, causing significant traffic delays near University Avenue.

What we know:

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The crash was reported on Interstate 75/Interstate 85 just before University Avenue, with injuries confirmed at the scene. Traffic was being diverted off the connector at Interstate 20, Exit 247, while the entrance ramp from I-20 to the connector southbound was also closed. Drivers were advised to use Exit 56A to McDaniel Street or alternate routes including Metropolitan Parkway or Interstate 285. The scene was cleared and lanes began reopening around 6:30 a.m. FOX 5 Atlanta is waiting for a final report on what happened. 

A separate serious injury crash was also reported in DeKalb County on Lawrenceville Highway westbound between Montreal Road and Interstate 285. All lanes were blocked, and authorities said the incident involved a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Both investigations were ongoing. The scene was cleared and lanes reopened around 6:45 a.m., according to Georgia Department of Transportation. 

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