The Atlanta Falcons stunned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 29-28 comeback victory, but the game’s thrilling finish wasn’t the biggest story. It’s Bijan Robinson and his endorsement. There was no doubt about who he wanted at quarterback, and he didn’t hesitate to emphasize his point further.

“No, it’s cool,” Robinson said of his chemistry with Kirk Cousins. “Kirk will go to the sideline, and he was like, I need you to make this guy miss, like don’t mess around. So it’s cool to play with Kirk, man, like this man’s a GOAT.”

It was a clear sign of how well things were going, indirectly pointing out that Robinson preferred Cousins. The experienced quarterback demonstrated on Thursday Night that he could hold his own at an elite level after getting benched for Michael Penix Jr. late last season.

Cousins completed 30 of 44 passes for 373 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Though he had a fumble, he recovered it, and there were no downsides for the Falcons. It looked like an indirect warning about why they signed him, and why Robinson’s confidence about him is spot on.

“Pro Football tests you,” Cousins said. “It’s been a difficult two years since tearing my Achilles. All I know to do is trust and keep going and walk by faith, not by sight, and that can be hard sometimes. Nights like tonight, you get a boost.”

Cousins and the Falcons came out swinging despite having very limited talent on display. They played without Drake London because of a PCL strain. But the quarterback continued to operate under pressure after a less-than-impressive start on offense.

Penix Jr. did not play in today’s game due to his partially torn ACL, which he suffered in Week 11. Due to this knee injury, he will be ruled out for the rest of the season, and it appears as though Cousins will be taking control of the huddle once again. Penix’s recovery will take about nine months, according to ESPN.

Before getting injured, Penix had shown flashes of what he could do, particularly against Tampa Bay, completing 298 yards, with a 50-yard touchdown to Robinson, as well as a rushing touchdown. He had almost completed a comeback in the fourth quarter.

But now with Penix rehabbing, it gave Cousins an opportunity to make an unforgettable impact.

Falcons’ comeback victory against Tampa Bay

Last night’s game had one of the year’s greatest finishes, ending with a 43-yard field goal from Zane Gonzalez as the clock hit zero. The Falcons trailed but still defeated the Buccaneers.

As a team that had no chance of making the playoffs, it would be hard to deny that there was a sense of pride after taking on the ‘spoiler’ role and defeating the Buccaneers.

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With the win, they knocked the Tampa Bay side out of a tie for the division lead. Cousins’ team made a gritty comeback, down 28-14 with 13:34 remaining.

The Falcons had touchdowns by Robinson and Pitts. Despite missing two-point conversions on both, they didn’t give up, and now, Baker Mayfield and his team have slipped out of the playoff seeding.

“There’s a lot for us to play for in terms of just us men and wanting to be excellent at what we do,” Cousins said after the game. “I think that showed tonight.”

But things get tricky for Tampa Bay, as they have lost five of their last six games. This loss (7-7) will sting because they led at one point.

“This one’s going to haunt me,” Mayfield admitted.

The Falcons and Buccaneers both have away games at Arizona and Carolina, respectively, next Sunday.