The Atlanta Falcons have taken over first place in an NFC South race that is going to come down to the wire in the final two weeks of the regular season. 

However, the quarterback who helped beat the New York Giants on Sunday wasn’t Kirk Cousins – the $180 million man they signed to a four-year deal this offseason. 

It was Michael Penix Jr., the rookie first-round pick. Many were shocked when the Falcons called his name because they had just signed the veteran Cousins a month ago. 

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Cousins’ play, though, had been faltering of late, and one NFL Hall of Famer was blunt with his assessment of him this year after Penix looked good in his first NFL start. 

"Consistently mediocre. That’s what Kirk has been this year," Giants great Michael Strahan said, via the Daily Mail. "Whenever you’re a great player in your mind, you’re still that. But sometimes, your skill level diminishes, and it drops. 

"You don’t know when it’s going to happen, it can happen at any point in the season. I think for Kirk Cousins, it happened now." 

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The Falcons were 7-7 under Cousins, but head coach Raheem Morris made a change after Atlanta’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders saw more maligned offensive drives just like the ones in recent weeks with Cousins under center. 

But the 36-year-old, who is coming off a torn Achilles from the 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings, was a part of four straight losses before that 15-9 win over the Raiders. In that span, Cousins didn’t throw a single touchdown and had eight interceptions. 

So, after throwing just one touchdown and yet another interception, Morris made the switch despite the Falcons being in such a tight playoff race. 

Penix’s debut saw no touchdown passes, but he was quick with his decision-making and on time with the ball to his receivers as he threw for 202 yards on 18-of-27 through the air. He also had an interception on his stat sheet, though tight end Kyle Pitts juggled a pass near the goal line that was ultimately picked off. 

With Penix taking the reins moving forward, Strahan believes that Cousins must play the mentor role. 

"Keep him around, let him teach Michael Penix the intricacies of the game," Strahan said. "It’s good to have that veteran influence, but I think Kirk may have to just humble himself to understand that’s his role right now."

There have been reports the Falcons could cut Cousins before March to avoid the remaining years on his contract, though $100 million was guaranteed at signing earlier this year. 

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When you’re winning, everything feels great as you head back to the locker room after the game. 

But, for Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, every win to finish off the regular season could mean a contract extension. And a warm embrace with owner Jerry Jones has football fans wondering if that’s on the horizon. 

McCarthy and Jones were spotted giving each other a big hug after the Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-24, on "Sunday Night Football."

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There were big smiles as they embraced, but Jones also seemed to get serious when talking with McCarthy, though the microphones couldn’t pick up what he was saying. From the looks of things, it was one of those good, serious conversations as the Cowboys moved to 7-8 on the year. 

Now, the reality of this season is the Cowboys are eliminated from playoff contention, which isn’t something Jones or anyone in the organization expected to see by the end of Week 17. 

However, McCarthy has rejuvenated what was once a team deflated at 3-7 after losing to the Houston Texans on Nov. 18.

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Dallas has won four of its last five games, doing so without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, whose hamstring injury against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 3 required surgery to repair, ending his 2024 campaign prematurely. 

Jones has loved what he’s seen from his owner’s box in recent weeks.

"Those guys came out and played as though they were fighting in the championship game to go to the Super Bowl," Jones said after the win, per Yahoo Sports. "I can’t tell you how proud I am of them and the coaching staff. It really shows me something."

During his media availability, McCarthy spoke about that locker room he was just in, and how he feels his group is still playing like it’s the last play of the season, even if playoffs are not in the picture. 

"I just think that shows you who they are," McCarthy explained. "I think everybody says the coach is always talking highly of the locker room – well, this is what I’m talking about. When I talk about, ‘It’s a great locker room,’ this is the definition of it. This is what a great locker room looks like."

Quite the turnaround for McCarthy, who appeared to be all but out the door as the Cowboys kept moving closer to a top draft pick rather than a playoff spot. But despite the tribulations of 2024, McCarthy has gotten the stamp of approval from Prescott and others regarding a contract extension. 

Jones himself even commented on McCarthy’s contract status recently, saying near Thanksgiving that he didn’t feel extending him would be "crazy at all." After all, McCarthy has gone 12-5 in each of the last three seasons before this one, which could still be a year above .500. 

Two more weeks remain on McCarthy’s current deal, and if Dallas finishes strong against the NFC East’s two likely playoff teams – the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders – perhaps he will continue to lead "America’s Team" into the future. 

As the saying goes, end the year on a high note. McCarthy has his 'Boys playing accordingly.

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San Jose State women’s volleyball star Brooke Slusser warned the NCAA after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the organization over transgender inclusion in women’s sports.

Paxton filed the lawsuit on Sunday, accusing the organization of deceptive marketing practices for allowing transgender women to compete against biological females. Paxton said in a news release the NCAA violated the Texas Trade Practices Act "which exists to protect consumers from businesses attempting to mislead or trick them into purchasing goods or services that are not as advertised."

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Slusser, who was a part of a lawsuit against her own school and the NCAA for allowing a transgender woman on the Spartans’ roster this season, posted about Paxton’s suit.

"Hey NCAA, just in case you haven’t realized yet this fight will just keep getting harder for you until you make a change!" Slusser wrote on X.

Slusser and other plaintiffs had asked a judge to grant an injunction to prohibit Blaire Fleming from competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s volleyball tournament last month, but they were denied.

SJSU RESPONDS TO VOLLEYBALL PLAYER MASS EXODUS AFTER TRANS ATHLETE SCANDAL ROCKED PROGRAM

San Jose State made it to the finals of the tournament but lost to Colorado State.

Paxton accused the NCAA of "engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading practices by marketing sporting events as ‘women’s’ competitions only to then provide consumers with mixed sex competitions where biological males compete against biological females."

"The NCAA is intentionally and knowingly jeopardizing the safety and well-being of women by deceptively changing women’s competitions into co-ed competitions," Paxton said in a statement. "When people watch a women’s volleyball game, for example, they expect to see women playing against other women – not biological males pretending to be something they are not. Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in college sports."

Paxton said he was seeking a court to grant a permanent injunction to prohibit the NCAA from allowing transgender athletes in women’s sports in Texas or "involving Texas teams, or alternatively requiring the NCAA to stop marketing events as ‘women’s’ when in fact they are mixed sex competitions," the news release said.

The NCAA released a statement to Fox News Digital later Sunday.

"College sports are the premier stage for women’s sports in America, and while the NCAA does not comment on pending litigation, the Association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships," the organization said.

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Through 12 games, more than a third of the regular season, a lot more has gone right than wrong for St. John’s.