Michael Penix has spent the equivalent of a full NFL season as the Falcons’ starter now, and the early returns have done more than just keep him in the conversation. They’ve started to convince people inside the building that Atlanta may have found the quarterback it wants to build around.
Sunday’s 29-20 win over the 49ers gave Penix his 17th career start, and it was one of his sharper outings yet. He finished 25-of-34 for 213 yards and three touchdowns, and Atlanta improved to 7-10 in his starts.
The overall record is only part of the picture. Penix’s production has steadily filled in the rest.
Through his time as the starter, he has thrown for 3,876 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 61.5 percent of his passes. This season, in five starts, he’s helped the Falcons average 31 points per game, the best mark in the league over that stretch.
That kind of output is exactly why Jessie Bates is all in on the quarterback. The safety didn’t leave much room for debate this week when he talked about what Penix means to the team.
“When No. 9 is out there, this team is a completely different football team and I really truly believe that he is a franchise quarterback. . . . You can sleep good at night when you have Michael Penix playing quarterback for you,” Bates said this week, via the team’s website.
Penix has also guided Atlanta to a 3-2 record since returning from last season’s torn ACL. Another win this weekend against the Buccaneers would push the Falcons to 4-4, and if the Panthers lose to the Packers on Thursday night, Atlanta would move into first place in the NFC South. That would be another step toward backing up Bates’s confidence with the kind of results that make the statement harder to ignore.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Is Giving Falcons Hope With One Big Test Ahead
Michael Penix Jr. has given Atlanta a reason to feel better about the quarterback position again, and the timing matters with the stretch run still offering little room for error. Kevin Stefanski praised Penixs diligent recovery from a torn ACL and pointed to the way he has settled in lately, a welcome sign for a Falcons offense that has needed stability behind center and a clearer sense of what it can be with him operating at full speed.
The challenge now is keeping that momentum when the level of resistance rises. Atlanta has seen enough of the division to know how quickly pass rushers can change a game, and YaYa Diabys recent surge for Tampa Bay is another reminder of what the Falcons will be up against in the weeks ahead. Penix has done his part to build confidence, but the next test will tell far more about where this offense really stands. [Read more 🡒]
Jessie Bates Is Closing In On Rare Falcons History
Jessie Bates III keeps finding ways to turn games in Atlantas favor, and his latest showing against the 49ers was another reminder of why he has become such a steady force on the back end. In the Falcons win, Bates recorded an interception and later forced the game-ending fumble, adding another standout performance to a season that has already put him among the leagues better safeties.
The production has been there all year, even if the recognition has not always matched it. Bates is grading out among the top safeties in Pro Football Focus this season, and his resume still includes only one Pro Bowl selection despite the kind of impact plays that can swing a game in a hurry. With the way he is stacking up those rare interception-and-fumble outings, the next milestone is now very much within reach. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Offense Forced The 49ers Into A Deadline Response
Atlantas 29-20 win over the 49ers did more than hand San Francisco its first loss of the season. It also exposed a problem that the Falcons were able to exploit throughout the afternoon, with the offense doing enough to keep the pressure on a defense that never looked fully comfortable chasing the game.
For San Francisco, the response came quickly after the final whistle, a clear sign the loss carried some urgency beyond the standings. The 49ers moved to shore up the front of their defense after a day in which the pass rush never consistently affected Michael Penix Jr., and the ripple effect of Nick Bosas absence loomed over the whole performance. [Read more 🡒]