Atlanta Falcons
head coach Raheem Morris benched beginning quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the course of the Week 3 matchup towards the Carolina Panthers after Penix completed 18-of-36 go makes an attempt for 172 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions, considered one of which was returned for a rating, in what turned a 30-0 blowout loss.
Penix then helped the Falcons enhance to 2-2 on the season through a 34-27 win over the Washington Commanders this previous Sunday. Coming off that end result, Morris defined how Penix’s actions all through final week gave the Falcons confidence that the 25-year-old would bounce again from the Carolina sport in a giant means.
How Michael Penix Jr. “mounted” Falcons offense after loss to Panthers
“When he walked to the assembly room, the fervour when he talked to his group, when he got here in and talked to his unit, his capacity to place his head down and work. There was no moping, there was no finger-pointing,” Morris stated about Penix, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN. “He took it on himself, and he got here out and glued it.”
Particularly, Penix linked on 20-of-26 passes for a career-high 313 yards with two touchdowns and one interception towards Washington. His 126.0 passer ranking was additionally a profession greatest for the 2024 first-round draft choose who has made simply seven regular-season begins as a professional.
Some understandably could not assist however marvel on the night of Sept. 21 if Penix might be yet one more loss away from presumably shedding the QB1 gig to veteran Kirk Cousins. Penix briefly silenced such speak forward of Atlanta’s Week 5 bye.
What Raheem Morris loves about Michael Penix Jr.
“Once I watched him play in school, he had all of the issues that I beloved,” Morris continued. “All of the distinctive instruments, [the ability] to get the ball out his hand and to have the ability to discover the open receiver, have the ability to throw the ball down the sphere, to have the ability to undergo the method of a soccer sport via all these issues. And I have been completely enamored by him since I had the possibility to draft him.”
In line with ESPN stats, Penix ranks seventeenth within the NFL amongst certified gamers with a 60.5 adjusted QBR on the season. Morris sounds assured his beginning signal-caller will climb up such leaderboards when the Falcons resume the marketing campaign with a house sport towards the Buffalo Payments (4-0) on Oct. 13.
“This younger man is a type of guys who’s the definition of nice, the definition of resilience,” Morris added about Penix. “We have talked about his calm demeanor since he is been right here, and simply one other alternative for him to go on the market and present it.”
