Falcons 29, Buccaneers 28
KIRK COUSINS: All right, so always good to win, especially on the road. When you win as a team and you know that it wasn't perfect and it took just resiliency and continuing to play and make plays, makes the win all the more sweet.
Just proud of my teammates, my coaches, and the effort that everybody put forth to make this happen. Proud of our resiliency to be down 14 and fight back.
Yeah, we'll enjoy the flight home and enjoy the long weekend and get back to work.
Can take any questions you have.
Q. On that fourth and nine pass, what did you see there to get it out to Sills and make that conversion there?
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, kind of had a mirrored concept and was wanting to pick a side. For whatever reason my eyes took knew right and David found a hole between the corner and safety. David has some height and just felt like I needed to put the ball up and over the corner and he made me right going up and getting it.
That was a big play, big play.
Q. Was does this say about the team given you all were eliminated from the playoffs last year; looked like you're down and out, but put some plays together and pull this one out in spite of 18 penalties?
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, just pro football. You just have to have keep playing, be resilient. You know, it tests you every week, and all I know to do is and what I've learned in my 14 years, is when you get kicked in the teeth you get back up and keep going. I believe that if you do that good things can happen.
I was proud of the way our team fought tonight, and it was really just a reflection of the group of guys we have and the character I know we have, and that showed to tonight.
Q. You talked about your connection with Kyle Pitts today; three touchdowns. (Regarding pass game.)
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, Kyle continues to be a great talent when it comes to his ability to separate and run. Obviously he's a big frame, and Zach did a great job designing, especially on a short week, ways to get Kyle opportunities.
We were able to take advantage of them. But I did feel that between Zach and Kyle they did a lot of great things tonight to give me a chance to get it to them.
Q. So you've been having some struggles. What does this win mean for you?
KIRK COUSINS: I don't know. It's just good to win. I'm just going to enjoy the fact that we found a way to get it done.
Q. So you led this win; you made it happen; came up clutch making all the throws you had to make. Does it say anything about your resiliency?
KIRK COUSINS: I don't know. I think it's just fun to find ways as a team to get it done. It took so many moments throughout the game, and not just players but coaches, finding a way. It's fun when you do it together as a team. That's what makes it all the sweeter.
Q. Nous's fumble recovery...
KIRK COUSINS: Can we talk about that? Thank you.
Q. How does that happen?
KIRK COUSINS: I jogged off the field. I said, there is no way. There is no way we recovered that ball. I just jogged off. Somebody was saying, no, we might have it. I'm like, how? Our offensive line coach preaches they call it covering. So when the ball is thrown and the rush stops you are to run forward. You don't know where or why, but you are to run forward.
They coach it. They do it so much we're just walking through plays, and after every play they walk forward to train the muscle memory.
Nous covered tonight. If you watch the tape they do it a lot, more than most guys I've played with. When you cover like that it saved the game, and I'm so happy for Nous us making that play. It's just classic O-linemen to just do their job, not make it about them, and be in the right spot and make the play because they're doing what they're coached to do.
Q. Few years back, biggest comeback in your team's history against Tampa Bay. Tonight you do it again. Is there any...
KIRK COUSINS: I don't know. I don't know. No, I played Coach Bowles going back to 2014 in Arizona and he would kick my tail, so I don't know what it is. Since coming to Atlanta we have had three great games. The way I view it in pro football is each game is its own entity and you have to earn it again.
I don't think there is anything there except that we just -- we would have to prove it the next time.
Q. Kirk, that fourth and long throw, what does that feel like?
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, really trusted David there. If I put the ball up, I felt like if I put it right on his face mask the corner might be able to tip it so I kind of wanted to throw a ball that was higher to ensure it would get over the corner, and David just made a great catch and came down with it in bounds.
That was kind of an exhale there to know that, okay, being we go the first down, new set of downs. At third and 28 it didn't look good, but somehow we found a way.
Q. (Regarding Kyle Pitts.)
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, you know, he's just a talented player who can really separate. And, again, Zach did a great job drawing up a couple red zone plays for him where he could make a play. Then the play-action pass, Zach did a great job drawing up stuff to get us open.
There was even a couple if you go back and watch the tape where I could have pushed it down the field to Kyle more and couldn't see it so I checked it down. I think there was a lot of production tonight but probably even more out there.
Q. (Regarding speech on Monday.) What was the message there?
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, I think our group just showed character and resiliency on a short week to just come down here and play together and play hard. It's never going to be perfect. It wasn't tonight. Even the final drive was way uglier than I would like. I would like that two-minute drive to be much sharper than it was, but you just keep playing. We're so grateful that we found a way.
Q. Kirk, I apologize if you were asked...
KIRK COUSINS: You're good.
Q. Past two years a lot of ups and downs for you personally. How gratifying is it to come out and do what you did tonight and kind of show that you still can do what you're doing?
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, no, it was hard earned. Any time you know what it takes to do that, how hard it is to do that and come out on top, it's very satisfying. You know, it's always about can you do it again, can you stack it, can you not just make it one game, but can you make to two?
And so that's kind of the way I've always been wired.
Q. How much did you rely on your faith going into this game?
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, no...
Q. To get in the right headspace.
KIRK COUSINS: Yeah, no pro football tests you. I do feel like it keeps me on my knees and it's been -- as was mentioned, has been a difficult two years since tearing my Achilles. All I know to do is trust and keep going and walk by faith and not by sight.
That could be hard sometimes, but then you get nights like tonight where you get a bit of a boost.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports