The Falcoholic
Last week felt like rock bottom for Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons offense. This week? The script flipped. Penix looked every bit the franchise quarterback Atlanta drafted him to be, Bijan Robinson continued to look like an Offensive Player of the Year candidate, and Zac Robinson finally seemed to settle into a groove as a play-caller.
But it wasn’t all fireworks. The run defense still left more than a few questions hanging in the air, and as promising as Sunday’s win was, it’s hard not to wonder if this team is just…okay.
Here are five things we learned from the Falcons’ rebound win over Washington.
This was the Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta needed to see. After the worst performance of his young career a week ago, he bounced back with poise, accuracy, and confidence. He wasn’t just managing the offense; he was commanding it, showing exactly why the Falcons hitched their future to him.
Penix finished 20-of-26 (76.9%) for 313 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Even the pick wasn’t a backbreaker — more of a heat check to an equally hot Drake London on a sideline sail route. Beyond the box score, Penix set career highs in passing yards, completion percentage, EPA per dropback (0.70), and completion percentage over expected (+7.7%), per Next Gen Stats.
Just as important, he finally started pushing the ball downfield. His 10.1 air yards per attempt marked a season high and helped fuel the fourth-best single-game EPA/pass performance by any QB this season.
Bijan didn’t just make plays; he took over. Every time he touched the ball, it felt like Washington’s defense was holding its breath. Through four weeks, Robinson ranks 5th in the NFL in rushing yards, 15th in receiving yards, and 1st in scrimmage yards. That’s not just good; that’s a historic pace.
If this is the version of Bijan the Falcons get week in and week out, he won’t just be in the OPOY conversation; he’ll be leading it. According to FanDuel Sportsbooks, Robinson has the third-best odds for Offensive Player of the Year (+550), behind only Puka Nacua and Jonathan Taylor.
Sunday showcased exactly why Robinson was a top-ten pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He rushed for 75 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown, but the real game-changer came through the air. Robinson caught four of five targets for 106 yards, generating the most receiving EPA by any running back in the NFL (+7.9). In fact, he owns the top two games in receiving EPA for running backs this season, including his 100-yard performance against the Buccaneers in Week 1 (+7.8).
After some shaky moments earlier this season, Robinson finally seemed to find his rhythm. The balance was there, the creativity was there, and most importantly, the confidence in his young quarterback was there. It felt like the offense was...
