While the Atlanta Falcons are trying to look ahead and keep their 30-0 beatdown by the Carolina Panthers far behind them, others can’t stop talking about it, wondering how such a loss occurred.
The Falcons offensively were particularly bad in the loss to Carolina, with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. drawing immense criticism. After head coach Raheem Morris benched Penix late in the game for Kirk Cousins, many wondered if that was the future direction at the position.
Morris has since thwarted that idea, at least for now, after speaking to the media on September 25.
“Kirk lost his job last year. We’re not even close to that with Mike [Penix],” Morris said. “He had a bad day. We had a bad day. Mike is our quarterback. We got a lot of confidence in Mike. We’re moving forward with Mike. Mike’s the guy.”
This has stirred up plenty of emotion for Falcons fans, asking how Morris could be so straightforward with his answer, not even giving a second thought to Cousins competing for his old job.
When the question was posed on “The Inner Circle Podcast,” former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan didn’t hold back on why there isn’t a competition right now in Atlanta between Penix and Cousins.
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Matt Ryan Says There’s No QB Competition Between Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins
Ryan believes there is a lot at stake with Penix, and that Cousins had his chance to prove himself last season.
“So like, what kind of competition do you think is gonna happen at practice this week at the quarterback position?” Ryan asked host Zach Klein. “[Kirk Cousins] had his opportunity, he played last year and showcased what he did. He had his chance, and they felt like that was a different thing.
“When you’re playing games with your quarterback position, after you’ve drafted somebody top 10 overall, you got a great chance of screwing this up six starts into it when you start playing games like that.”
Ryan believes that for Morris and the Falcons, they could overreact or it could be detrimental to the franchise.
“You’re making decisions about what you want the organization to be like moving forward. You don’t overreact to one horrible loss,” Ryan said. “It’s about continuity. It’s about growing this guy as you’re moving forward.”
Ryan stated, “… There is no competition.”
Michael Penix Jr.’s Stats Through Six Starts With Falcons
It sometimes is difficult to believe that Penix, 25, is just going into his seventh start in the NFL when the Falcons face the Washington Commanders in Week 7. As Ryan mentioned, difficult games were bound to arise, like that against the Panthers.
Despite his career-worst game to date against Carolina, there have been positive signs, or else Atlanta wouldn’t have given him the QB1 position in the first place. Through six starts, Penix is 2-4 going back to the 2024 season. He has thrown for 1,380 yards with six total touchdowns and five interceptions, completing just 58.3 percent of his passes.
However, in his starts, when opponents score more than seven points against the Falcons, Penix is 0-4. In those four losses, he’s completed just 55.9 percent of his passes for 1,005 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Falcons are betting on Penix’s development despite those struggles, with Morris and Ryan both stressing continuity. For now, Atlanta remains fully committed to their young quarterback, even in the face of one of the ugliest losses of the season.
Matt Ryan Delivers Strong Take on Falcons QB Situation With Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins