Michael Penix Jr. Emerges as Falcons’ Leading Quarterback
His three-touchdown, no-interception outing on Sunday reinforced belief that he can be Atlanta’s franchise quarterback.
Overview
- Penix led a 29-20 comeback over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, completing 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
- Over five starts this season Penix has thrown for 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns with one interception, and he ranks highly on efficiency metrics such as yards per attempt and EPA per dropback.
- ESPN tracking showed he faced pressure on just three of 34 dropbacks in the 49ers game, a level of protection that helped him work through reads and limit mistakes.
- Teammates and coaches have publicly endorsed his rise, with safety Jessie Bates III calling him a franchise quarterback and coach Kevin Stefanski praising his reads and poise.
- The Falcons have averaged 31 points per game since Week 3, but Penix’s emergence is tempered by a small sample size and his past knee injury, and a Sunday game at Tampa Bay will be the next clear test of whether the improvement is sustainable.