Michael Penix Jr. didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for the Saints this week.
Ahead of Atlanta’s Monday night meeting with New Orleans on Oct. 5, the Falcons quarterback took a shot at a division rival that has no shortage of bad blood with his team. ESPN’s Marc Raimondi quoted Penix on Thursday as saying, "It's a nice dome. That's probably the only nice thing I can say about them."
That kind of edge makes sense in a game like this. Penix is coming off a strong return in the Falcons’ first win of the season on Thursday night at Green Bay, where he threw for 256 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception and completed 72% of his passes. A performance like that can loosen a quarterback up, and Penix sounded plenty loose when asked about New Orleans.
He’ll also be trying to get his first win against the Saints. Penix has faced them once before, losing 17-20 in November 2024.
New Orleans, though, is not walking into this one as a soft target. Under second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, the Saints have become one of the more compelling teams to watch. Shough has been inconsistent at times, but he’s been electric in the passing game, and through three games he leads the league with 132 passing attempts in a Saints offense that leans heavily on the air attack.
Atlanta, meanwhile, will try to keep pounding away on the ground after a huge 242-yard, 3-touchdown rushing performance against Green Bay. Bijan Robinson, and at times Brian Robinson, were nearly impossible to slow down in that game.
In Other News...
Bill Callahan Is Already Changing A Key Falcons Starter
Bill Callahan was brought to Atlanta to sharpen the Falcons edge up front, and early signs suggest the offensive line coach is already making a difference. Center Ryan Neuzil has settled in quickly since Callahans arrival, and the improvement has shown up in the kind of work the Falcons value most, with Neuzil holding up well in both pass protection and the run game.
Neuzils growth also fits the bigger picture for Atlanta, where continuity along the offensive line has helped make the transition smoother. If Callahan can keep turning that steadiness into real progress, the Falcons may have found an important piece of their offensive foundation at a position that can quietly change everything around it. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face Another Saints Threat That Could Decide Monday Night
The Falcons defense carried plenty of weight in their recent win, and there is little margin for a slowdown with Monday Night Football bringing another familiar test. New Orleans has enough passing-game talent to make life difficult, and Atlantas best path again starts with limiting the Saints top targets and forcing the offense to work for every clean look downfield.
Chris Olave will draw attention, but Juwan Johnson has emerged as a particularly important piece in recent games and could become the kind of chain-moving threat that tilts the matchup. Atlanta has linebackers with coverage ability, and how well they handle Johnson in the middle of the field may go a long way toward deciding whether the Falcons can keep this one in the kind of defensive game they prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Created A Real Roster Squeeze For Josh Woods
The Falcons added another name to the linebacker mix this week, bringing in former third-round pick Brian Asamoah II to the practice squad after a tryout. Asamoah has made most of his NFL impact on special teams, which is exactly where Atlanta is looking for competition as it tries to sort out the back end of the roster and keep enough coverage units intact for the stretch run.
Josh Woods now finds himself in a tighter battle than he was a week ago. The veteran has been handling a special teams role, but the door has opened for Asamoah to push for that same job, and the situation could get even more crowded if JD Bertrand returns from injured reserve soon. [Read more 🡒]