The Falcoholic
Do you remember when the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins in the 2024 offseason? Do you remember the conversations you had? Do any of the following statements sound like something you would have said, heard, or believed
“They finally have a quarterback that can operate an NFL offense.”
“With the infrastructure around him, he just needs to keep the offense on track.”
“He’s a high-level game manager, and that’s enough for the Falcons to make the playoffs.”
Well, don’t worry; you’re not alone. There’s a support group for people like you, and if you’re reading this, that means you’re already in the right place. Michael Penix Jr.’s arm has caused many to forget the above topics, statements that I believe could still prove to be true.
There is more to quarterback play and development than gaudy passing numbers, and volume stats don’t tell us what a quarterback can do.
Can they execute multiple game plans? How are they under pressure? Can he roll right and left? Can they change arm angles? The list goes on.
Penix won’t have many seasons like this current one. He’ll have the longest leash of his NFL career, a locker room that’s completely behind him, and individuals blinded by their fandom ready to go to bat for him. He needs to make the most of it. Penix’s first year starting shouldn’t consist of him having to win the game with individual dominance (it’s nice to know he can do it); wins should come as a result of a group effort on offense. More importantly, Penix needs to learn how to win in multiple ways, like he did on Sunday Night Football.
Where’s the deep ball? Opposing defenses aren’t giving it to him, and when they have, the offense hasn’t been able to connect. It’s easy to understand why, as while the sample size was small, Penix put on tape that letting him take deep shots is an unwise decision. Veteran defensive minds like Todd Bowles and Brian Flores know better than to give a quarterback what he wants, and both do an exceptional job at speeding up the process and forcing quarterbacks into quick decisions. Penix missed some opportunities, but he executed Zac Robinson’s game plan and never put the football at risk.
Being a game manager doesn’t produce highlights, but it can deliver wins. If Penix has to be a high-level game manager for the Falcons to win this season, then that’s what it takes. Even Patrick Mahomes (a dangerous comparison, I know) faced this challenge after teams got sick of him torching them through the skies. Viewers need to come off their priors and adjust to reality. The gun-slinging Penix that closed out 2024 might only show up a few times this season.
Flores won’t be the last defensive coordinator to use a two-high shell against Penix, but that means Bijan Robinson will get the opportunity to take over a game the way he did Sunday. This pick-your-poison scenario was the end goal...
