While the Republicans are fighting over who will replace John Boehner in the nation’s capital, the football team’s quarterback debate between Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III appears to be over.
With the Redskins off to a 2-2 start, Cousins is in firm control after he led the team on a 15-play, 90-yard drive to pull out a 23-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Cousins and the Redskins face the Falcons (4-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
“We know they are a tough outfit,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “We know they added, from the staff standpoint, I know some of the guys they added.”
Quinn knows and respects Washington offensive line coach Bill Callahan and defensive coordinator Joe Barry.
“We know that we’ll have our work cut out for us,” Quinn said.
Cousins, who tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon with 26 seconds left to beat the Eagles, has taken all of snaps this season and has completed 105 of 153 passes (68.6 percent) for 1,005 yards. He has thrown four interceptions and four touchdowns, and his passer rating of 84.5 ranks tied for 28th in the NFL.
The Redskins have been powered by their running attack, which features running backs Alfred Morris and Matt Jones.
Morris has rushed 66 times for 261 yards and Jones 43 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
The receiving corps is missing DeSean Jackson, who’s been out with a hamstring injury since the first quarter of the season opener Sept. 13.
Tight end Jordan Reed, the team’s leading receiver, suffered a concussion and may not be available against the Falcons.
Reed has had four known concussions. Two in college at Florida and two in the NFL. He missed the final six games of his rookie season in 2013 because of a concussion.
“These are two of our top weapons going into the season,” coach Jay Gruden told the Washington Post.
Reed has caught 24 passes for a team-high 278 yards and one touchdown. Jackson was expected to be the team’s deep threat.
Garcon likely will be Cousins’ top target if Jackson and Reed can’t play. Garcon has 24 catches for 216 yards.
The defense is paced by Ryan Kerrigan and Trent Murphy, who had key sacks against the Eagles.
The Redskins are looking for some consistency after opening with a 17-10 loss to Miami, defeating St. Louis (24-10) and losing to the Giants (32-21).
Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was with Washington from 2010-13 and had a role in the early success of Griffin and Cousins. Because of that the Redskins are familiar with the Falcons’ offensive scheme, but they don’t feel that gives them an advantage.
“The only advantage we have is if Kyle decides to play,” Gruden said.
The Falcons have beaten three other NFC East foes this season: the Eagles, Cowboys and Giants. A victory over the Redskins, would give them a sweep.
“We want to treat each week like it’s a championship-game opportunity,” Quinn said. “We allow that process to take place. When we get done with the game tape, that one is through, then we get right back to our process of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, all of the unique things that we do.”
Quinn believes the Falcons’ main challenge is trying to improve internally.
“We don’t try to look too far ahead,” Quinn said. “We stay right in the present moment to see how much better that we can get. … As long as we take care of the process each week, it allows you to stay right in the moment.”
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