Michael Penix Jr. Chatter Could Heat Up — Real Fast

Atlanta Falcons fans want Kirk Cousins to work out in The Big Peach, mainly because the guy was so damn expensive, and they want the investment to be worthwhile.

Michael Penix Jr. Chatter Could Heat Up — Real Fast

But some might secretly crave the commencement of the Michael Penix Jr. era — which could be on the way sooner rather than later.

Of course, Cousins will likely bounce back from a horrid Week 1 outing at home versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s what he does, and the man is not unfamiliar with dud games. But the evidence to support Penix Jr.’s ascension to QB1 is a bit more glaring than bad Cousins games of yesteryear. Why? Well, Cousins’ mechanics were not ideal, a trait that does not typically affect the man. Against the Steelers, Cousins looked either like a) a 36-year-old who encountered an age-related decline like so many before him b) a player who’s Achilles recovery didn’t go well.

Head coach Raheem Morris dispelled any theories about bad health for Cousins after the loss to Pittsburgh. “I feel like Kirk is healthy. He’s been healthy since he’s been here,” Morris told reporters.

Atlanta shockingly drafted Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in April. The move was so stunning because the Falcons had paid Cousins $180 million over four years just six weeks prior.

Morris added, “We played, I thought, winning football in two phases of the game, and we didn’t play winning football in our offensive phase of the game.” He basically placed the blame on Cousins’ front porch — a fair criticism after Cousins fired up a nauseating 29.2 QBR.

Cousins, too, sounded like he felt the heat following the dreadful performance. “Needed to play better. That’s the bottom line. I thought our defense played very well; I thought our special teams played very well. We didn’t complement that enough on offense,” Cousins said late Sunday.

It’s also worth noting that Atlanta was supposed to be renowned for offense this season — not defense — making the Sunday struggles more mind-boggling.

One of the “knocks” on Penix Jr. leading up to April’s draft — was age. Penix Jr. will turn 25 next May; he’s not young by a rookie quarterback’s standard. J.J. McCarthy, for example, who went to the Minnesota Vikings with the 10th pick — and was available to Atlanta — turned 21 in January.

In that vein, Penix Jr. should be more game-ready than most. He’s got age on his side in this one example, possibly usurping Cousins sooner than expected.

And it won’t take too many Cousins performances south of 30.0 QBR to begin the Penix Jr. era.

---

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.