All signs point to Kirk Cousins being 100 percent healthy except the eye test

My late grandfather said it best, "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see." As the Buhler rage forever courses through my veins, I find it hard to believe that the starting quarterback for my beloved Atlanta Falcons is 100 percent healthy. I watched Kirk Cousins be as mobile as I am behind the line of scrimmage in last Sunday's Week 1 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 18-10.

However, Dianna Russini of The Athletic ($) reported that Cousins is, in fact, 100 percent healthy. Her intel suggests that Atlanta's offensive ineptitude in Week 1 had more to do with Cousins, and the entire first-team offense, being rusty (thanks, Raheem Morris), as well as Zac Robinson being a first-time play-caller. Who could have seen that coming? This all comes down to better performances.

Unfortunately, Atlanta's schedule may not lend to such performances for the first month of the season. Atlanta has to play Philadelphia on Monday Night Football at their place, host Kansas City on Sunday Night Football in Week 3 and then have to play New Orleans and Tampa Bay in Weeks 4 and 5 before the schedule softens up a bit. Atlanta desperately needs to find ways to win two of the games.

The Falcons did spend a pretty penny on Cousins in his free agency to help them win more games.

Kirk Cousins may be 100 percent healthy on paper, but come on, folks!

Until proven otherwise, Atlanta is not getting its first win of the season until the Falcons play the Saints or Buccaneers. Philadelphia is my pick to win the NFC East, while I have Kansas City winning the AFC. In every realistic regular season forecast I had for the Falcons, they were always starting the season in a hole. I had them beating Pittsburgh, but now that that game was a loss, it should be 0-3.

Overall, I think there are still signs of hope for Cousins and this team. The second half of the schedule opens up quite nicely for them. Cousins will presumably get healthier. More importantly, Robinson and the offense will gain even more confidence with each passing game. It all comes down to the defense remaining steadfast under Jimmy Lake's guidance, as well as Raheem Morris looking sharp.

Ultimately, Atlanta needs Cousins to play like he once did for this team to have any realistic shot at making the playoffs. This is a team that has gone 7-10 in each of the last three seasons. Defense has not been the problem for the most part; it has been stagnating offenses, sub-par quarterback play and questionable coaching decisions. Something has to give, right? Then again, this is the Falcons...

If Atlanta were to somehow come out of Philadelphia with a win, that would be massive for the team.