Tommy Rees’ first game with Michael Penix Jr. gave the Falcons something they’d been chasing for a while: an offense that actually fit the quarterback.
That mattered in a big way Thursday night at Lambeau Field, where Atlanta rolled past Green Bay 35-14 and piled up 500 yards of total offense. The headline was the win, but the real story was how much more natural Penix looked in this system than he ever did under Zac Robinson.
Robinson and Penix never really clicked. He wanted the offense to live in the pistol, while Penix’s best work came under center as a play-action passer. That mismatch never seemed to go away, and Penix didn’t look comfortable in the setup.
Rees took a different approach from the start. With Kevin Stefanski now leading the staff and Rees handling the play-calling, Atlanta leaned into what Penix does best.
He lined up under center for a career-high 35 snaps against the Packers, a massive jump from his previous high of eight. That alone showed a staff willing to build around its quarterback instead of forcing him into a mold.
Penix did throw an early interception, but Rees didn’t flinch. He eased his quarterback into the game, and as the night went on, Penix settled in. Once Atlanta opened the playbook and started leaning on play-action, Penix and Drake London both had big nights.
After one game, the Rees hire looks a lot better than it did when it was made. He’s young enough to feel like a rising coach, but experienced enough to bring a fresh eye to Stefanski’s scheme. Most important, that scheme seems to suit Penix.
The contrast with Robinson has only gotten sharper. After the Falcons moved on from him, he landed in Tampa Bay as offensive coordinator, but the Buccaneers have opened 0-3 and are tied for the worst record in football. The offense has been disappointing despite the talent on the roster, and Baker Mayfield has only two touchdown passes in three games.
Tampa Bay is sitting in the bottom three in the NFL in four of five offensive EPA categories, according to SumerSports. The Bucs have shown flashes, but they’ve mostly failed to finish drives, even without the pistol-heavy approach Robinson once used in Atlanta.
It’s still early, and one game isn’t enough to crown anyone. But the Falcons got a clear reminder Thursday: Rees and Penix look like a much better fit than Penix and Robinson ever were. And for the first time, Penix is starting to look like a franchise quarterback.
In Other News...
Falcons Fans Already Have A Coaching Debate They Didnt Expect
The first month of the season has already given Falcons fans something to chew on beyond the usual quarterback chatter: a coaching comparison they probably did not expect this soon. Atlanta brought in Kevin Stefanski to lead the way, and while the Falcons are 1-2, they did at least give themselves a timely lift with a primetime win over the Green Bay Packers. It is early, but the results are already inviting a conversation about how the new era in Atlanta is taking shape.
Elsewhere, Klint Kubiak has his new team rolling in Las Vegas, where the Raiders are 3-0 after a recent win over the New Orleans Saints. The parallel is hard for Atlanta fans to miss, since both hires were meant to steer their franchises in a new direction, and one of those directions is off to a much hotter start. For now, the Falcons can lean on the fact that Stefanski has already delivered a big-stage win, but the broader debate around the two coaching moves is only getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Added To A Quarterback Debate Fans Will Enjoy
Around the league, Week 3 only sharpened the quarterback conversations that have already started to spill into the rest of the season, and the Falcons have to be paying close attention. Drake Mayes turnover issues have dragged the Patriots into frustration, while Deshaun Watson has looked much steadier as the Browns have picked up wins behind him. Jordan Loves early struggles have come with the usual mix of protection problems and accuracy concerns in Green Bay, leaving his outlook unsettled as the season settles in.
Kirk Cousins has been the steadier name in the group, guiding the Raiders offense with the kind of efficient play that keeps a team on schedule and a front office comfortable. For Atlanta, that kind of quarterback debate matters because it adds another layer to the league-wide picture of how quickly things can change at the position, and why every strong or shaky stretch gets noticed. The Falcons are still watching the broader discussion take shape, and the next few weeks should help clarify which of these passers is actually trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Enter Saints Showdown With Something They Have Been Missing
The Falcons head into Monday night with a little momentum and a much-needed sense of life after their 35-14 road win over the Green Bay Packers. Michael Penix Jr. was back at quarterback, and Atlanta got strong outings from Bijan Robinson and Drake London, a combination that gave the offense a cleaner, more balanced look than it had shown earlier in the season.
Now comes a division matchup with New Orleans, and both teams arrive at 1-2 needing a reset more than a spotlight. The Saints are coming off a 35-27 loss to the Raiders, even with Chris Olave, Juwan Johnson and Tyler Shough providing some offense, so this one feels like an early chance for Atlanta to build on its best performance and see whether the pieces that clicked last week can hold up in a bigger spot. [Read more 🡒]