Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. proved no better than OK in his first NFL start Sunday. He went 18-of-27 passing for 202 yards, 0 TDs, and 1 INT. He also took no sacks in a run-heavy, lopsided win that saw the defense score twice.
The Falcons are benching QB Kirk Cousins and going to QB Michael Penix, according to both NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter. Atlanta stuck with Cousins for too long, losing four of the last five and falling out of first place in the NFC South. They beat the Raiders on Monday night in spite of Cousins, who completed just 11 of 17 passes for 112 yards, one TD, and one INT. Penix obviously lacks Cousins' experience but should prove to be a big upgrade in terms of arm talent. We'd still expect the Falcons to be a run-heavy offense going forward, especially as big favorites over the Giants this weekend.
Falcons HC Raheem Morris did not commit to QB Kirk Cousins as his starter going forward on Tuesday. "It's no secret. We didn't play well at the quarterback position," Morris said of Cousins' Week 15 performance. "We got to find ways to play better. So, you know, all those things we go over the course of the week." It's a change of tune from Morris, who's stuck by Cousins throughout the season. The veteran has thrown just one TD vs. nine INTs over his last five games. We'll see if the Falcons make the move to first-round rookie QB Michael Penix for Sunday's game vs. the Giants. He wouldn't be a viable QB1 but could be worth stashing in 2-QB and Superflex leagues.
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins extended his streak of not throwing a TD pass despite a big passing performance. He completed 23 of 37 for 344 yards. Cousins did throw two interceptions against his former team.
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins was benched in the fourth quarter of Sunday's blowout loss to Denver. He took 3 sacks and threw for 173 scoreless yards before leaving the game. Michael Penix completed 2 of 4 passes for 24 yards in relief. Atlanta enters a Week 12 bye, and Cousins should be back under center in Week 13 vs. the Chargers.
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins (Achilles) has been medically cleared for training camp and will take all first-team reps while QBs Michael Penix Jr. and Taylor Heinicke split second-team reps.
The Falcons selected Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. It’s been a long road for Penix, whose college career began at Indiana. Unfortunately, injuries stole headlines in his four years as a Hoosier. In 2018, he missed four games with a right ACL tear. Four more games were lost the following season due to a right shoulder injury. Then in 2020, Penix retore his right ACL, costing him the last two games. Finally, a shoulder injury robbed him of seven games in 2021. It’s an exhaustive injury history for sure. But his comeback story certainly ended on a high note. Transferring to Washington in 2021, Penix excelled in an play-action based, downfield attack. He compiled 4,641-31-8 in 13 games while playing with a trio of NFL-caliber WRs: Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan. He recorded nine games north of 300 yards. Come 2023, Penix became the first player with 4,500+ yards in back-to-back seasons since Patrick Mahomes (2015-2016). So production/experience – along with arm strength – supply the bull case. On the flip side, it’s fair to question how Penix will perform outside of an excellent situation. That includes his blocking, as Washington’s O-line allowed only 16 sacks over the past two seasons. We also saw what happened when pressure reached Penix in the National Championship vs. Michigan. That game produced his lowest PFF passing grade (50.1) and yards per attempt (5.0) of the year. The Atlanta landing spot is a true head-scratcher. Kirk Cousins just inked a multi-year deal worth $100 million guaranteed. Perhaps he’s not ready to start come Week 1 – but there’s not a clear path to consistent playing time for Penix.
Consider Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. one of the winners of the 2024 NFL Combine. Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Penix’s medical exams were “extremely positive.” That’s huge considering his injury history: two torn ACLs (both to his right knee), a separated A/C joint, and a fractured clavicle. The Indiana transfer excelled in an aggressive, downfield attack over the past two seasons. Throwing to top WRs like Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan, Penix led the nation with 4,903 passing yards in 2023. There's not much of a rushing ceiling to chase, however. So while Penix is a potential Round 1 pick come April, he’s not someone to prioritize in 1-QB dynasty rookie drafts.
The Seahawks are expected to hire Ryan Grubb as their new OC under HC Mike Macdonald, according to multiple reports. This will be Grubb's first NFL coaching job. He's been in the college ranks since 2005, most recently serving as Washington's OC for the last two seasons. Both of those Huskies teams finished top 13 in the nation in both total yards and points per game. They were especially lethal through the air, ranking first and then second in passing yards per game. Grubb joins a Seahawks squad with plenty of passing-game firepower in WRs D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. QB Geno Smith will very likely be back under center in 2024. We'll see if Seattle reunites Grubb with QB Michael Penix, who was at the helm for Washington the last two years.
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