Kirk Cousins threw his first touchdown pass in five weeks and the Atlanta Falcons did just enough Monday night to beat the struggling Las Vegas Raiders 15-9 and keep pace in the NFC South race.
Trying to pull off a late comeback, Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder lofted two desperation passes into the end zone in the final 10 seconds. The first was incomplete and the second was intercepted by Jessie Bates III.
The Falcons (7-7) ended a four-game losing streak to remain a game behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Atlanta owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Las Vegas (2-12) lost its 10th consecutive game, the NFL’s longest active skid, and is tied with the New York Giants for the league’s worst record. It is the fifth-longest skid in Raiders history, and worst since dropping 16 in a row a decade ago.
Cousins entered with no touchdown passes and eight interceptions over his previous four starts, raising questions about whether rookie Michael Penix Jr. would take over at quarterback. Falcons coach Raheem Morris stuck by Cousins — who signed a four-year, $180 million contract this year — over the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Cousins did little to assuage concerns about his play, passing for just 112 yards with an interception. His 30-yard pass to a wide-open Drake London with 14 seconds left in the first quarter to put Atlanta ahead 7-0 was his first touchdown toss since firing three of them Nov. 3 in a 27-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The Falcons got the rest of their scoring on two field goals from Younghoe Koo and a safety by defensive lineman Zach Harrison.
Bijan Robinson rushed for 125 yards and London caught three passes for 53 yards to give him 219 career receptions. London passed Calvin Ridley’s 217 catches for most in Falcons history over a player’s first three seasons.
Atlanta prevented Ridder from putting a dent in its playoff plans. Ridder, who started 13 games for the Falcons last season before he was traded to Arizona, was stymied most of the night in his first start this season. In replacing Aidan O’Connell, inactive because of a bruised left knee, Ridder passed for 208 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
The injury-riddled Raiders gained just 249 yards, and they have trailed by double digits in all 14 games this season.
O’Connell wasn’t the only player missing. Defensive end Maxx Crosby announced Saturday he would be undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. Las Vegas also lost running back Sincere McCormick, who had recently become the starter, to an ankle injury early in the second quarter.
Up next
Falcons: Host the New York Giants on Sunday.
Raiders: Host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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