Jessie Bates said the Falcons are a different team with Michael Penix, and the numbers back him up in a big way.
Atlanta opened the season 0-2, then flipped to 2-0 after Penix took over as the starter in Week 3. That record alone tells part of the story, but the offensive split around him is even louder.
If the Falcons were treated as two separate teams, the version with Penix would own the NFL’s top scoring mark at 40.0 points per game. That would put Atlanta well ahead of the Bills, who lead the league at 31.8.
Without Penix, the Falcons averaged just 8.0 points per game, a figure that would sit at the bottom of the league and trail even the No. 32 Dolphins, who are averaging 11.5.
Penix has also separated himself individually. Among the 42 quarterbacks with at least 15 pass attempts this season, he ranks fifth with a 113.1 passer rating. Before him, Atlanta got rough results from both of its other quarterbacks: Rush ranks 41st with a 42.5 passer rating, and Jack Strand is 42nd at 35.1.
Protection has looked very different, too. Rush was sacked five times on 39 pass attempts, and Strand was taken down twice on 15 throws. Penix has been sacked only once on 45 pass attempts, even though he played most of the second game after the Falcons lost starting left tackle Jake Matthews to injury.
The ripple effect has reached the skill players around him. Bijan Robinson has rushed for 339 yards and four touchdowns in two games with Penix.
In the two games without him, Robinson had 155 yards and no touchdowns. Backup Brian Robinson has added 24 carries for 112 yards and four touchdowns with Penix, compared with 20 carries for 82 yards and no touchdowns without him.
Drake London has benefited, too. In two games with Penix, Atlanta’s top receiver has 14 catches for 290 yards. In the two games before Penix, London managed six catches for 80 yards.
It’s a striking snapshot of how quickly one quarterback can change the feel of a team. With Penix, the Falcons have looked nothing like the group that opened the year.
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Drake London was right in the middle of it, finishing with five catches for 96 yards and again looking like one of Michael Penix Jr.'s most reliable targets. He also spoke to the extra motivation behind Atlanta's continued push to score, tying it back to a previous Saints moment involving Jameis Winston, which only added another layer to a win Falcons fans will happily savor. [Read more 🡒]