The Atlanta Falcons Stun The NFL With A Quarterback Change

“After review, we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward,” said Falcons head coach Raheem Morris in a statement. “This was a football decision, and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”

Penix Jr. replaces quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons during the 2024 off-season. Cousins has thrown for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions through the first 15 weeks of the 2024-25 season.

Why did the Falcons make this decision now?

This was a surprising choice considering the Falcons just beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football to improve their record to 7-7, good for second place in the NFC South. Additionally, Atlanta owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the first place Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so there’s still a chance that they could win the division and clinch a playoff berth.

Kirk Cousins hasn’t lived up to the hype produced by his gaudy contract. He was held to just 112 passing yards against the 2-12 Raiders. On top of that, he has thrown for one touchdown pass and nine interceptions over his last five games. It appears that the Falcons wanted to see a return to form from the four-time Pro Bowler in Week 15, but Cousins failed to live up to the team’s expectations, so he’ll be riding the bench this week.

The Falcons probably feel confident in Michael Penix Jr. to make his first start now because Atlanta is facing the New York Giants, who haven’t won a game since October 6th. With only two interceptions forced this season, the Giants don’t pose much of a threat to the rookie quarterback on the defensive side of the ball. In that context, starting Penix Jr. this week actually makes sense because the Falcons can test him out against an underwhelming defense rather than throwing him into the fire against the Washington Commanders – who have something to play for – in Week 17.

How does this impact the Falcons’ playoff chances?

Even with a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start, the Falcons should be favored to beat the Giants. If Penix Jr. throws for 175+ passing yards and scores at least one touchdown, that should be enough to take down a Giants team averaging just 13 points over its last four games. With this expected win, the Falcons will improve to 8-7.

Unfortunately, winning their own games won’t be the only thing that affects Atlanta’s playoff chances. They also need the Buccaneers to lose one or two of their next three games. But with matchups against the Cowboys, Panthers, and Saints, it’s unlikely that Tampa Bay will drop the ball, so the Falcons still might miss the playoffs even if they win out.

The Falcons’ game against the Washington Commanders in Week 17 could determine their season. If they lose that game, then they will presumably miss the postseason. However, if they win, then they could sneak into the playoffs, but they’ll still need the Bucs to lose one of their next three games, which probably won’t happen.

At least this way, the Falcons can find out what they have in Michael Penix Jr., allowing them to make an important decision regarding Kirk Cousins’ future this coming off-season.

Main Image: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA Today Sports