The Atlanta Falcons' 2025 schedule has arrived, and with it comes a clear chance for Michael Penix Jr. to establish himself as one of the league's best. After Patrick Mahomes, there isn't much debate that Josh Allen is considered the league's second-best quarterback. Beating Allen's Bills would be a defining moment for Penix, and the quarterback is going to be handed that chance after Atlanta's early bye week.
If there is one upside to the Falcons having an incredibly early 2025 bye, it is the fact that it comes right before the Falcons take on the Buffalo Bills. Having an extra week to prepare for the best team on your schedule is a positive. The Falcons will have their bye week in Week 5, heading into Week 6 when the Falcons will take on Josh Allen's Buffalo Bills.
Michael Penix Jr. has a chance to make an early statement outdueling the 2024 MVP, Josh Allen
Josh Allen is coming off an incredible 2024 campaign that had some pundits questioning how close the Mahomes vs. Allen argument should be. Regardless, Allen is one of the league's best, and if Penix can find a way to get it done for Atlanta, it would be an early-season defining win. Beating the Bills would send a message not only that Atlanta has their quarterback of the future, but that this team must be taken seriously.
After Atlanta's epic 2024 collapse, fans are going to be understandably skeptical no matter how the 2025 season begins. However, beating Josh Allen and the Bills is simply too impressive even for the most negative Falcons fans to ignore.
Making the matchup even more interesting is the fact that before the team's bye week, they will take on the Washington Commanders. This means in back-to-back games, Penix is going to be tasked with dueling against Jayden Daniels and Josh Allen. Having started the season with a matchup against Baker Mayfield's Bucs, it isn't going to take long for Atlanta fans to know exactly what they have in the young quarterback.
If there is one thing Penix can do to answer this question positively in the first weeks of the season, it is finding a way to outduel Josh Allen.
