After their struggles the last few weeks especially on offense, the Atlanta Falcons have decided to go with rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to save their playoff hopes.
Just a few weeks ago, the Falcons were in first place in the NFC South, now all that has changed. Starting QB Kirk Cousins went from Pro Bowler to benched in favor of the rookie.
Michael Penix Jr. Highlights Capital-Bolstered Offense
Cousins turned into a turnover machine in recent weeks. Although he’s thrown for over 3,500 yards with 18 touchdowns, he’s also thrown 16 picks. Naturally, Cousins was disheartened with the Falcons yanking him in favor of Penix.
“It’s disappointing,” Cousins told reporters via USA Today on Wednesday. “But it’s pro football. There’s no entitlement. You’ve got to go out and earn it every single day. If you don’t, you’re always going to be competing and change can happen.”
Head coach Raheem Morris admitted that a change needed to occur.
“We’ve been digging, as much as we can dig, to make things work, to try to get things going,” Morris said. “Just (on Tuesday) night came to the point when you want to make the decision, make the move. Wanted to play better at quarterback and felt like we’ve got the chance to play better. If we can play better at quarterback, who knows what can happen?”
Now it’s Penix’s turn to see if he can play hero and save his team. But it won’t be all on Penix’s shoulders as the team is making history by starting top-eight picks at every skill position on offense on Sunday. Running back Bijan Robinson, who was the Falcons’ No. 1 draft pick last season, has over 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Wide receiver Drake London, who was drafted as the eighth overall pick in 2022, averages nearly 70 yards per game through 15 weeks and has seven touchdowns, while 2021 draft pick tight end Kyle Pitts, whose production has dropped this season, has over 500 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
The youth movement in Atlanta starts today, and many Falcons fans are stunned and happy that Morris has decided to go this route.
This is amazing, can’t wait to see how it goes cause Penix is the truth!
— Lucky13 (@13isLucky13) December 22, 2024
Penix throwing for 325 yards, 3 tds 🔥🥶
— Brandon (@fishingindasea) December 22, 2024
While some Falcons fans are thrilled with the change, others wonder why this didn’t happen sooner and why with all this talent the team continues to struggle.
Should’ve done this like 4 weeks ago
— Jen (@JenD_04) December 22, 2024
Teams typically get better after drafting that high so much
— The Monday Morning QuarterBLACK (@TheMMQBL) December 22, 2024
The question for the Falcons will now become if Penix is successful in his debut, what do you do with Cousins after the season ends? Do you make him the highest-paid NFL back up or do you cut him loose? There are already rumors circulating that the Las Vegas Raiders, who are desperate for a QB, may be interested in Cousins.
But on the flip side, if Penix is a disaster, do you just keep Penix in the rest of the season and just ride out the storm? The latter seems likely. At this point, what do they have to lose? The Falcons invested a lot in Cousins only for the ugly side of his play to rear its head during their playoff push.
As some fans have pointed out, maybe the team should invest less in offense in the NFL Draft next year and concentrate on the defense to help their young offense.