The debut that came earlier than expected now feels like it was three-and-a-half months late. One of the biggest question marks of the 2024 NFL draft just revealed himself as an exclamation point.
Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made his first start Sunday because Kirk Cousins had been struggling mightily over the previous five weeks. And one start into the former University of Washington star’s pro career, it’s fair to wonder if Cousins will play another meaningful snap for the Falcons.
The asterisk sitting next to this column is that Penix’s coming-out party came against the 2-13 Giants, who have been outscored by 147 points this season. New York hasn’t won a game since Oct. 6, when it beat the Seahawks 29-20.
But even the lowliest squads in the NFL are composed of millionaire athletes who would crush any college team Penix ever played against. And in the Falcons’ 34-7 win Sunday, Michael looked like a legit pro quarterback.
The final stat line read as follows: 18-of-27 passing for 202 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and zero sacks. It’s not particularly salivating in isolation. That 73.4 passer rating doesn’t stand out. But did you watch the tape?
That lone pick was by no means the fault of Penix, as tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled a pass at the 2-yard line that went right into the hands of cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. If Pitts somehow had turned that into a touchdown, Penix’s rating for the day would have easily cleared 100. Most of his other throws were on point, and he was mobile. Maybe not on the same level as fellow rookie QB Jayden Daniels, but far more agile than Cousins, who has been out of the pocket on less than 5% of his passes this season.
Penix should get a better test when he goes up against Daniels and the Commanders (10-5) on Sunday. But Atlanta’s decision to draft him eighth last April despite signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal last offseason? For the moment, it’s not only looking like the right call, but a great call.
The Falcons (8-7) now control their own fate when it comes to the playoffs, as two wins to end the season would get them in. This comes despite having lost four of their past five games before Sunday, a stretch in which Cousins threw nine interceptions and just one touchdown pass.
This wasn’t a team just experimenting with a new QB because it had nothing to lose. Atlanta needed a change to keep its championship hopes alive, and Penix was up to the task.
This probably didn’t come as too much of a surprise for anyone who has spent the past two years watching him. In addition to having one of the better deep balls in the nation, Penix epitomized poise in his two seasons at UW, where he led the Huskies to the national title game in January.
I gave him my Heisman vote, not because his numbers outshined those of Daniels, who won the trophy. But because every game he played in mattered, and he delivered whenever UW needed him.
That undoubtedly captured the Falcons’ attention entering the draft. There was a slew of other needs for a team that finished 7-10 last season, and it appeared the Falcons had their man behind center in Cousins. But they saw Penix, who also shined at the NFL combine, as someone they had to have. So far, so good.
The 24-year-old is an easy player to root for. This was a signal caller that most of the country was unaware of when he transferred to UW from Indiana, mainly because of four season-ending injuries. This was a guy who likely would have been selected in the draft after the 2022 season but came back to try to win a title.
This is a player who has shown nothing but humility and gratitude during his up-and-down career. To see him manning a potential playoff team in December after playing just 20 games in his first four college seasons? That’s Feel-good 101.
Of course, this is the NFL, where even the all-time greats can be humbled quickly. There is now game tape on Penix, and the league will adjust as it always does.
But as former Eagles defensive end Chris Long said on his podcast earlier in the week, “He looks like a pro QB.”
He sure does. And he’s just getting started.
