“On the night that he’s honored, Kirk Cousins breaks it going for 509 yards in the OT thriller.” James Palmer’s X post on post-game perfectly captures the wild ride Falcons fans just experienced. Who knew a Thursday night game could pack more drama than a soap opera season finale?

Cousins didn’t just break Matt Ryan’s single-game passing record – he obliterated it. His 509-yard performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers edged out Ryan’s 503-yard mark from his MVP season in 2016. Talk about timing! This aerial show unfolded as Ryan was being inducted into the Falcons’ Ring of Honor, creating a torch-passing moment nobody saw coming.

But let’s rewind the game tape. With 1:14 left in regulation, trailing 30-27, and no timeouts, Cousins channeled his inner Houdini. He orchestrated a 49-yard drive, setting up Younghoe Koo’s game-tying 52-yard field goal. Koo, fresh off his 58-yard game-winner against the Saints last week, split the uprights as time expired. The Georgia Dome faithful collectively exhaled.

Then came overtime. Cousins, clearly not satisfied with merely tying the game, decided to end things in style. He connected with KhaDarel Hodge on a 45-yard touchdown pass that sent the Bucs packing and the Falcons faithful into a frenzy. As Hodge crossed the goal line, you could almost hear the ghosts of Falcons past cheering from the Ring of Honor.

This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Cousins, in his fifth game back from a torn Achilles, threw 58 passes, completing 42 with four touchdowns. He even managed to overcome a late interception that seemed to seal Atlanta’s fate. Talk about resilience!

The ghost of Quarterbacks past

While Ryan Matt has a place in Falcon’s history for eternity, it is only natural that he would be replaced by someone of his caliber. Drafted third in the 2008 NFL draft, Ryan was more than just a quarterback: he was the face of the franchise for 14 years.

Ryan’s career reads somewhat like the stuff of dreams: 2016 NFL MVP, Pro Bowl participant four times, and a marvelous strategist behind the Falcons’ Super Bowl appearance in LI. He sits in sixth place in all-time regular season passing yardage (62,792) and ninth on the list for touchdown passes (381). These are very big shoes to fill.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom sees shades of Ryan in Cousins. “I think there’s a lot of similarities,” Lindstrom said at a press conference back in April. “I think both those guys have a lot of experience, are great leaders and both extremely successful.”

Safety Jessie Bates III, who never played with Ryan, is already feeling Cousins’ impact. “His presence alone, just being there is next level,” Bates said back in April. “The coaches can’t be out on the field too much, but when you have a guy like Kirk Cousins, he can go out there and run a whole script. That presence is something that’s priceless.”

With Ryan taking his place in the Falcons’ Ring of Honor, Cousins must carry on the shattered quarterback mantle of Atlanta. If that performance on Thursday night indicates the follow-up could get interesting.