Michael Penix Jr. was back on the practice field Wednesday, a good sign for the Falcons after he dealt with a ribs injury. The Atlanta quarterback said he expects to be ready for Week 6 and sounded confident about where things stand.
“We’re good and I feel good to go this week so that’s the plan. … It’s not always comfortable but I made every throw out there today.”
Across the division, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero defended Akayleb Evans after a rough stat line in Week 4. Evans was targeted 16 times, gave up 208 yards and a touchdown, but Evero pointed to the positives in his overall performance.
“You can play 65 really good snaps and then five or so snaps can really define the game. I want to lean into the snaps that he did a heckuva job on because there were so many good plays out there in coverage and in run support.”
Evero also stopped short of saying whether Evans will keep his starting job in Week 6, though he made clear he believes the issues are fixable.
“There’s things obviously he needs to correct and I’m excited to see what he does with that. I have a lot of confidence he will & they’re very correctable things.”
In New Orleans, Gayle Benson delivered a blunt message about the Saints’ 1-4 start. Speaking Tuesday at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club, the Saints owner made it clear she is not interested in softening the reality of the team’s opening five games.
“I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard,” Benson said in a Tuesday address at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club, via NFL.com. “I am committed to making the decisions necessary to improve this team.
Everyone in this organization understands the urgency. We must prepare better, execute consistently and correct the mistakes that are costing us the games.
Words will not restore our fans’ confidence. Our performance must do better.”
Benson did not spell out any specific moves, but her comments left little doubt that she expects change. She also put responsibility squarely on the people at every level of the organization.
“Kellen Moore and his coaches are responsible for preparing our players to perform,” Benson said. “Mickey Loomis and our football staff are responsible for building a roster capable of sustained success.
Our players are responsible for their preparation and execution. I am responsible for holding this organization accountable.”
In Other News...
Falcons Rookie Playmaker Is Pushing For A Much Bigger Role
Zachariah Branch arrived in Atlanta as a third-round pick with the kind of speed and open-field juice that can change field position in a hurry, but through his first five NFL games he has mostly been parked in the return game. The Falcons have eased him in on offense, giving him only a limited number of touches so far, even though his talent profile has always suggested there could be more there if the right opening comes along.
A recent game against the Ravens hinted at what that next step might look like, and it comes at a time when the Falcons are clearly weighing how to get more out of one of their most dynamic rookies. Branchs early usage also invites a wider conversation about how rookie receivers are brought along, especially when a player can contribute immediately in one phase and still leave room for growth in another. If Atlanta decides to expand his role, the rest of the offense could end up with a new wrinkle worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face A Brutal Reality If Sunday Goes Sideways
Sundays meeting with the Chicago Bears carries a lot more weight than a typical Week 6 game for Atlanta. Both teams have something to prove, but for the Falcons, the stakes feel especially sharp as they try to stay within striking distance in a crowded NFC race. At 3-2, Chicago comes in looking to steady itself after a recent loss, while Atlanta knows this is the kind of matchup that can either keep a postseason path open or force a far narrower route forward.
For the Falcons, the margin for error is already thin enough that every result starts to matter beyond a single Sunday. A setback would put them in a difficult early-season spot and leave the NFC South as the likeliest road to January, with little room left to navigate if other division results break against them. It is the kind of game that can change the tone of a season before it ever reaches the midpoint. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Are Already Seeing Why This Secondary Trade Could Matter
Sydney Brown has started to look like the kind of addition the Falcons hoped for when they brought him in from Philadelphia. Through the first five games, he has filled multiple roles in Atlantas secondary, giving the defense some needed flexibility as it settles into the season. His value showed up again against Baltimore on October 11, when he was around the football and helped swing a key moment in a game that eventually went to overtime.
For a defense that is still sorting out how all of its pieces fit, that sort of impact matters. Brown is not just a depth move, he is becoming the kind of versatile defensive back who can change the feel of a drive and give Atlanta more options on the back end. And with the Falcons having used modest draft capital to get him, the early returns are starting to look like the kind of move that can pay off well beyond a single play. [Read more 🡒]