FIRST TAKE | "Rookie of the year" - Stephen A. on why Falcons drafting Michael Penix was 'brilliant'

gosh you guys you're such a poor example the Falcons continue to make this off seon according to our Adam chefer Atlanta isig signing standout quarterback AJ is it Terell or Terrell to a fouryear r $81 million deal that includes 65.8 million guaranteed Terell is now returning the team where he spent in his entire four-year NFL career excitement is higher on the Falcons this season after the addition of Kirk Cousins they've also bolstered their defense by adding Justin Simmons Matthew judon and signing Terell today today still Atlanta is only 30 to1 to win the Super Bowl at ESPN bet okay Dan starting with you are the Falcons now legit Super Bowl contenders oh there's no question about it you know when they signed to Kirk Cousins they were legit playoff contenders and the two corresponding moves since Kirk Cousins has gotten there with the addition of judon and Simmons there's no question this is a football team that has been slightly below average don't pay attention to Stephen A let's just get a screen gra me and you like just don't pay attention to that they've been below average slightly below average with relatively poor quarterback play Kurt Cousins bringing well above average Quarterback play they're dynamically talented on offense they got a really good offensive line Raheem Morris's second run as a head coach so the experience that he's gained uh both in his own head coach run but also under Shawn McVey and Simmons and judon while they're older if those guys are kind of relatively close to what they've been for the past couple Seasons this is a really really good defense you pair him Simmons and Jesse Bates that's one of the best safety Duos in football and if judon could rush the passer with Grady Jarrett man this is a complete football team oh my god when you look at the Atlanta Falcons particularly under Arthur Smith we saw a roster we saw them okay you got London Drake um you've got uh you know like you said Arnell money you got him uh Ray Ray McLoud we get all that they got some weapons Bean Robinson is no joke he's big time we understand that but it all stops when you get to Kurt Cousins we've lamented how Dak Prescott has two playoff victories in eight seasons as a starter who's worse Dan in the postseason who's worse would I would imagine you're going to say Kurt Cousins has less it would be Kurt Cousins and so for you to sit up there and say if if we're gonna let you know the blast for me you've just committed you're forcing me to be nice to the capital because I have to look at them and say if we're going to sit up there and say that they don't really have a a legit shot at at at being in the Super Bowl and stuff like that they got a better shot at being in the off season how we going to turn around with a team led by Kurt Cousins Assuming he's in the lineup after you know his injury last year how we going to assume that they gonna have but so much success particularly in the postseason why would you say something like that now if we had the discussion that they gonna win the South and they gonna be in the playoffs all right cool that Division I mean don't get me started with the NFC South but that's not what this discussion was about you talking about the Atlanta Falcons and you mentioned potential Super Bowl how about I mean don't you have to win playoff games which Kurt Cousins has seemed allergic to do yes you do what are you talking about well what are you talking about I'm talking about the question at the bottom of the screen um legit Super Bowl contendant the Cowboys are not a good lateral comparison because they've been to the playoffs more than the Minnesota Vikings oh later lateral comparison now lateral comparison I mean explain what that means to the average Joe out there dear Abby you think they're side side explain to us what that you think that they're side by side and they're not the Cowboys have had many more opportunities so than than the Vikings and certainly with Kirk and so the team and so the team that hasn't been relevant enough to have opportunities is subtly a Super Bowl Contender before a damn game is played what are you talking about uh let's so okay so okay thankfully I have 2020 vision and I can see the screen says are the Falcons legit Super Bowl contenders Daniel I'm disappointed in you my friend because I did not want to have to disagree with you so early in the show like I just got here um but you said no question no question this is Super Bowl Contender team but yet you said if these guys if Matthew judon if this happen you point out Kurt Cousins a guy who's coming off a major injury the same reason we look at Aaron Rogers granted they're not the same age but we look at Aaron Rogers say like health is a huge Factor here health is a huge factor with Kurt Cousins he's expect he says he's going to be ready week one he's going to play cool but I think the real answer is somewhere I'm going to split the baby the answer is it undetermined they not yet too early to tell because yes Raheem Morris this is his second shot at being a head coach but he's a new head coach you don't know what this team is going to look like they have pieces but we think Kyle pittz bejon Robinson Drake lenon oh they got weapons part of the problem with the Falcons is those weapons weren't going to be weren't used effectively and now we have a new head coach we have new staff and it's I think it's not yet guys like we have no idea what the Falcons will look like see I would disagree that there's no idea like I I've been somebody for two years who has been higher on Atlanta and had greater expectations for Atlanta if the quarterback play would take a step up and the quarterback play never actually got there but I think that I I don't find a lot of flaws on this football team I think they got a really good offensive line I think they got five really good skill position players Drake London I've said this all off season is going to be a household National name bejan Robinson I think in this offense Zack Robinson who's their new offensive coordinator comes to Rams I'm not going to say that he's Todd Gurley I'm not going to say that but I see him playing in a Todd Gurley like role their defensive line gred Jared really good e just coming on that's why judah's addition is such a big deal and their secondary is really good now like they're secondary in a year telling you Jesse Bates and Justin Simmons are two of the best I can go get the football safeties in the NFL judon can rush the passer which is really their I just don't find a ton of flaw in the football team I'm with you my friend I'm with you but for you to say there's no question yeah there is question the only thing I will say is what makes me confident the Falcons to me are the dark horse in the NFC because of that division think the teams that they're playing in the NFC South it's like okay I could see them beating the Bucks I could see them beating the Saints okay and then they get through in the playoffs because of that like an easier uh division schedule that kind of thing I'm not ready to go on the limb and say like oh there's no question that the Falcons are a Super Bowl Contender can we just see the Falcons make the playoffs can we just can we just can we just say like they're the favorite division well well well I appreciate that sentiment Kimberly because Dan olowski I brought up Kurt cousin and who he is come playoff time um we have to remember the Atlanta Falcons have had six consecutive losing Seasons let's not forget that six one 2 3 4 5 six and on top of or Raheem Morris God bless him got a second chance deserve I'm happy for him but as a head coach in Tampa his record was 17 and 31 and he hasn't been a head coach in over 12 years so with all of that coming into consideration you would sit up here with a straight face before they played a single damn regular season game before they had an opportunity to pass gas and you going to sit up there and tell them and tell the world that they are legit Super Bowl contenders you have have any idea how asinine that sounds I know they got talent I know they could play I I I get I get I get all of that the Personnel seems very very capable but who's proven anything and you would throw that out there before they played a game I'm not disrespecting the Atlanta Falcons by any stretch of the imagination I know they got talent and bejan Robinson's a stud and you got to use him in the same way that Shanahan uses Christian mcff CMC make no mistake about you got to utilize him that way and I get that they're going to be able to run the football they're going to be able to throw the football we got that their defense like you said with the guys that they picked up especially with judon because he can rush the passer which is going to be a plus but when you have