Time is a flat circle.Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will miss the rest of the season after a knee injury he suffered last week, clearing the way for Kirk Cousins to assume the starting role once again.Cousins is back as QB1 in AtlantaGettyThe Falcons signed Cousins back in 2024 to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed, then used the No. 8 overall pick a few weeks later to draft Michael Penix Jr.It was a head-scratching move at the time, but the team said it was meant to bolster both their present and future at quarterback.Cousins was benched late in his first season with Atlanta, giving way to Penix as the starter. Nearly a year later, the roles have reversed—this time due to injury.Now, it’s up to the 37-year-old quarterback to turn around the Falcons’ season, which currently sits at 3-7.Cousins went 6-of-14 for 48 yards with a 29.9 QBR after stepping in for the injured Penix against the Panthers last Sunday.He’ll need a far better performance if the Falcons and head coach Raheem Morris hope to stay afloat. Cousins’ play could ultimately decide whether he keeps his job.Morris, in just his second season leading the Falcons, started last year 6-3 but has since slumped to a disastrous 5-13. Time is running out.There’s no guarantee he will return next year, and it’s even less likely that the man now tasked with salvaging Atlanta’s season will either.Cousins has made it clear he wants to be a starter, even indicating he would have preferred a trade before this year’s deadline. That, of course, never happened.However, if Atlanta wants to hold on to Cousins for 2026, it’s going to cost them.Atlanta’s season will come down to the play of CousinsGettyDespite the quarterback competition, Penix Jr. and Cousins share a strong relationshipGettyIf Cousins remains on the roster next season, he will carry a staggering $57 million cap hit.However, the Falcons could free up $35 million in cap space by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation, though $22.5 million in dead money would remain.Alternatively, the Falcons could look for a trade partner willing to take on his hefty contract. Good luck with that.Kirk Herbstreit did float the idea that Cousins could join the Jets next season as a one-year stopgap to bridge the quarterback position.For now, however, Cousins is just focused on the rest of this season.“There’s no magic formula,” Cousins said about being handed the reins again.NFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?“You just get back to work and trust your training, and you’ve got to stay the course, believe that tough times don’t last and tough people do, and that’s all you can do.”He also vouched for Morris for the type of person, leader, and coach he is.“He’s resilient,” Cousins said of his head coach.“He’s built for this and he is a glass-half-full person, and I think it makes it a positive place to come into work. And he’s a coach that you want to win for, you want to play well for, because you feel like he is in your corner and he’s giving you what you need to be successful.”All eyes will be on Cousins and Morris to see how they close out the season and whether either will return to Atlanta next year.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more