Falcons' Penix 'almost flawless' in starting debut

ATLANTA -- It's uncommon for a rookie backmost to make his first commencement successful precocious December connected a squad still vying for a playoff spot, erstwhile the incumbent starter wasn't injured. But that's precisely what happened pinch the Atlanta Falcons connected Sunday.

And Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 wide prime successful the draught past April, followed done pinch a coagulated capacity successful the Falcons' 34-7 rout of the New York Giants present astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Penix was 18-of-27 for 202 yards and 1 interception, which wasn't his fault. In the 2nd quarter, he recovered tight extremity Kyle Pitts connected a walk adjacent the extremity zone. But Pitts bobbled the ball, and it ended up being picked disconnected by Giants cornerback Cor'Dale Flott.

The Falcons had 22 first downs, 10 of them done the air. They were 8-of-14 connected 3rd down and 2-of-4 successful the reddish zone, wherever they had struggled nether erstwhile starter Kirk Cousins successful caller weeks.

"He went retired and played almost flawless shot and kept the crippled really cleanable and kept everything cleanable for america successful bid for america to get a win," Falcons coach Raheem Morris said.

Cousins had 9 interceptions complete his past 5 games pinch conscionable a azygous touchdown pass. The Falcons went 1-4 successful those games, including a four-game losing streak that took them from 6-3 and successful rod position successful the NFC South to hanging connected for their playoff lives.

Cousins has a league-leading 16 interceptions and his 12 fumbles are tied for the astir successful the NFL pinch Baker Mayfield. Morris announced the move to Penix past Tuesday night.

Now, the Falcons are 8-7 pinch the playoffs wrong reach, though they're still a mathematical underdog to make it. They'll request the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who they ain a tiebreaker against, to gaffe up complete their remaining 3 games.

For a rookie backmost starting successful what was a must-win crippled for Atlanta, Penix showed a ton of poise. Even if the crippled was against the two-win Giants and the Falcons defense accounted for 14 points, courtesy of a brace of prime sixes. Running backmost Bijan Robinson had 94 yards connected 22 carries and 2 touchdowns.

"I cognize that I'm present for a reason," Penix said. "I worked highly difficult to get to this position and I conscionable had to spell retired location and execute and we executed to get a triumph today."

Penix had not worked overmuch pinch the starting receivers successful practice, since Cousins was QB1. So, they had to ramp things up this week. Atlanta did a walkthrough past Wednesday pinch 72 violative snaps and Penix threw connected each azygous 1 of them.

"It was a batch of activity put successful this week, man," said receiver Darnell Mooney, who had 5 receptions for 82 yards. "A batch of activity aft practice. During believe erstwhile we're not going offense. So, a batch of things we still person to get amended at. But for illustration I said, it looked bully today."

When Penix sewage the telephone from violative coordinator Zac Robinson that he'd beryllium starting for the Falcons moving forward, the backmost was astatine Costco, astir to eat a basking dog. Penix said he won't beryllium celebrating astatine Costco aft his first profession triumph arsenic a starter. It'll beryllium "something fancier." He's still hoping for a Costco sponsorship, though.

"Costco is great," Penix said. "Costco request to deed maine up."