Optimism is back in the air in Atlanta following a long-awaited quarterback change.
As the second half went on in Las Vegas, it became certain that Kirk Cousins wasn’t suited to start for the Falcons any longer. The inability to push the ball downfield and navigate in the pocket against one of the worst teams in the league without its superstar edge rusher left the offense extremely limited. When a player is that detrimental to how a unit functions, the coaching staff is left with no choice but to move forward with someone else, no matter how painful it might be for people within the organization to come to terms with.
Raheem Morris was either going to adapt to adversity or drown in delusion. He chose to adapt by inserting Michael Penix into the starting lineup. It’s an exciting move that will expand the offense and create more exciting possibilities. While expectations will and should be tempered for a quarterback in a situation where there will be no margin for error for the team for the rest of the season, there should be plenty of enthusiasm to see if the organization’s controversial decision to draft him looks right from the start.
Penix does get favorable matchups for the remainder of the regular season, starting by facing arguably the worst team in the league. The offense is as healthy as it’s been all season. Zac Robinson is utilizing different personnel looks than being fixated on using 11 personnel.
Using play action more often could create more opportunities to produce high-percentage pass plays, particularly for players like Kyle Pitts and Darnell Mooney who should benefit the most from this quarterback change. The fan base is feeling more confident about the team’s direction but it still hasn’t quite convinced half of them.
Will the Falcons get back to being efficient and dynamic? Can they put pressure on teams like Tampa Bay and Washington in the playoff hunt? Let us know below.
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