The Atlanta Falcons‘ final play of their painful overtime loss on Sunday Night Football to the Baltimore Ravens came with their starting quarterback on the sideline.
Michael Penix Jr. was over on the bench, having draped a towel over his head.
He couldn’t come back in the field. His body was in too much pain.
Near the end of regulation, he had been smushed into the turf by a pass rusher. And although Penix came back onto the field after missing one play, the gap at the start of OT while the Ravens had the ball proved to be too much.
Penix said he probably would’ve played if the Falcons received the opening kickoff in overtime. Instead, Baltimore used more than seven minutes of game clock en route to a touchdown.
So instead of Penix out there for the Falcons’ drive that began with about three minutes to play in OT to try and match that TD, it was Tua Tagovailoa.
Tua, in his first year with the Falcons, had completed a pass to Bijan Robinson on the lone play he got in the fourth quarter.
Then he completed a pass down field to Drake London to begin the drive in overtime.
But on Tua’s third play of the game, the Falcons’ second play in OT, he threw the ball to Kyle Hamilton — who plays safety for the Baltimore Ravens. The interception ended the game, and Penix couldn’t do anything about it.
With the Falcons playing the high-powered Chicago Bears in Week 6, the hope was that Penix wouldn’t have to be out too long.
Now, the news seems good.
Michael Penix Jr. Injury Update
Penix has gotten good news since Sunday night, it seems.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote this on X on Wednesday:
“Michael Penix Jr is set to practice today, despite a rib injury. A good sign for his availability this weekend.”
Rapoport then added this information in a follow-up post:
“Coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that Michael Penix Jr is feeling better and will likely start, assuming no setbacks.”
Sounds like Penix is good to go.
His injury had been announced as a rib issue, which made sense given on the way the crash into the ground took place with a defender on top of him. Rib injuries have forced QBs to miss games before, but apparently this wasn’t the worst-case scenario for Penix.
What About Tua Tagovailoa?
Tua would start if Penix missed out, but if Penix is fine as this update suggests, Tagovailoa would go back to being the backup.
He’ll remain one play away from needing to come in and save the day. He couldn’t pull that off in his first chance in Atlanta, and there’s no telling if he’ll get another.
No one will blame Tagovailoa for forcing a pass in the tough circumstance. But it’ll stick in everyone’s mind until, and if, he gets back on the field.
Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. Injury Update Brings Key News for Week 6