Big Blue View
Rookie will make his first career start on Sunday?
The New York Giants face an Atlanta Falcons team with a different starting quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. will make his inaugural NFL start in Week 16 against the Giants after the benching of Kirk Cousins. New York passed on Penix Jr. in the first round and chose Malik Nabers at sixth overall. Atlanta selected the former Washington quarterback two picks later, which, at the time, was viewed as a shock.
This game could be another massive low point for Joe Schoen and the Giants. A great performance by Penix Jr., along with another embarrassing loss that will set a franchise record of 10 consecutive — to a quarterback the Giants passed on — with this current quarterback situation, may just be too much for this regime to overcome.
“He can sling it. I think you go back and watch the accuracy down the field, throwing the ball down the field. He puts it in places receivers can catch it,” Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said this week. “We’re going to have to do a good job making sure we defend the deep part of the field because I think he’s going to take his chances throwing it, launching it. But he’s got a really strong arm, good accuracy and I would say, specifically, on the deep ball.”
There’s a lot to appreciate about Penix Jr. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy race after he led Washington to the National Championship Game against Michigan. Washington fell 34-14, but his performance against Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal is discussed as one of the best single-game performances by a college quarterback during the 2023 season.
Penix Jr. led the NCAA in passing yards with 4,903, beating his previously set University of Washington single-season passing yards record. He won the Maxwell Award in 2023 and was the Comeback Player of the Year in 2022.
Here’s my predraft scouting report on Michael Penix Jr.
Strengths
