Category: Atlanta Falcons

Falcons vs Commanders will feature NFL rookie history

Falcons vs Commanders will feature NFL rookie history with first-round rookie QBs starting against one another

When the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders take to the field on Sunday night in Week 17, they will make some surprising NFL history. The game in Washington will feature two first-round rookie quarterbacks squaring off.

Somewhat incredibly, the matchup between Atlanta’s Michael Penix and Washington’s Jayden Daniels will mark the first time in NFL history that two first-round rookies start in the same game. NBS Sports pointed out the unlikely fact with a great graphic on social media to help promote the game on the network.

There have been a couple of instances where two first-round rookies have gone against one another in the same game, most recently Baker Mayfield vs. Sam Darnold back in 2018. In that game, Darnold started for the New York Jets but Baker Mayfield came off the bench to replace Tyrod Taylor for Cleveland.

Michael Penix reveals funny way he learned he was Atlanta’s new starting QB

Michael Penix reveals the funny way he learned he was Atlanta’s new starting QB ahead of Week 16

The Atlanta Falcons ruffled a few feathers when they selected Washington QB Michael Penix with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After all, they’d just signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a very lucrative free agent deal. Using a top-10 pick on a player who might not play for two seasons was certainly an interesting decision for Atlanta.

That timeline is now accelerated, thanks to Cousins’ repeated issues with ball security and general ineffectiveness. This week, Penix will make his first NFL start for the Falcons against the New York Giants.

Penix found out about the promotion to the starting lineup in an unexpected way–and place.

“I was actually shopping. I was shopping with my girlfriend. We were at Costco and I got the call,” Penix told reporters. “They told me I was going to be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season.”

Penix continued,

“As you can imagine, it was some nerves, It was excitement, but I’m just super blessed to be in this position. Super blessed to be on this team for the opportunity.”

So what was Penix doing at Costco?

“Oh man, so I was actually getting a hotdog and whenever I got the call I wasn’t hungry no more. I was at Costco, I needed groceries.”

The Falcons have set up Penix for success in his first start. He’ll be facing a Giants team that hasn’t won since Week 5 and is allowing the second-highest QB Rating to opponents for the season.

Michael Penix Jr. sees first regular season action amid Falcons blowout loss to Broncos

Michael Penix Jr. sees first regular season action amid Falcons blowout loss to Broncos

It was one of the more unexpected results of the week 11 slate of games as the Denver Broncos absolutely throttled a talented Atlanta Falcons team to the tune of 38-6. Given the state of the game, Atlanta decided to give their rookie quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. some live reps as the game was clearly out of hand.

 

Seeing it was late into the contest, fans caught only a glimpse of their future franchise quarterback, but what was shown was a bit of what everyone saw during Penix’s time in Washington in his explosive arm talent. Ultimately Penix completed 2 of his 4 attempted passes for 24 yards in the closing minutes of the game.

The real question in the midst of this rookie sighting is when fans might see Penix again. The Falcons were not that long ago clear favorites to win the NFC South behind veteran Kirk Cousins, but as the losses begin to pile up in the trainwreck style they have in the last two weeks, one has to wonder if the Falcons may want to see what Penix is capable of with the talent surrounding him. It’s unlikely a swap will happen immediately, but one or two more losses on the record are bound to create a fury of questions and force the hand of the coaching staff to pull the trigger on their first-round quarterback.

Michael Penix Jr. set to sit in Falcons’ final preseason game against Jaguars

Penix is healthy but sitting behind Kirk Cousins in the regular season, so it’s strange Atlanta won’t even play their first-rounder in the preseason

There has been quite frankly a lot of questions about the Atlanta Falcons decision making in the front office and by extension coaching staff ever since they took quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eight overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That trend of odd decisions is apparently continuing as Penix is set to sit his second straight preseason game after only appearing briefly in Week 1.

Now, it’s hard to blame any NFL team for their decision-making when it comes to playing or resting particular players during the preseason process, as each time has their own preferences. It just comes off as a bit odd, given that we will likely not see Penix play at all this season, and the preseason is a nice opportunity to get the rookie some live snaps.

Atlanta, of course, sees Penix in practice every day and must be comfortable with where he stands in his development, but it certainly is a bit of a disappointment to the fans who hoped to see more of their new franchise quarterback. If all things go well in Atlanta, the next time we see Penix should be next years preseason contests.

Analyst offers bleakly stark assessment of Michael Penix’s rookie prospects with the Falcons

Yahoo’s Charles Robinson came away from Falcons training camp with a bleak outlook for 1st-round QB Michael Penix as a rookie

When the Atlanta Falcons drafted Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it sent shudders and gasps across the NFL landscape. The Falcons had just made a huge commitment to veteran Kirk Cousins, after all, and Atlanta is not blessed with the breadth of talent to sacrifice a first-round pick on a player who doesn’t appear to have a path to immediate playing time.

Four months later, it’s playing out exactly in the way most analysts expected: Penix might be pretty good, but we might not see it matter anytime soon. That’s the verdict from Yahoo’s Charles Robinson after he spent some time watching Penix, Cousins and the Falcons during a training camp visit.

Despite Penix throwing “sharp, effortless passes against the Falcons’ first-team defense,” Robinson doesn’t see Penix getting any meaningful action in the regular season. It’s the Kirk Cousins show in Atlanta, with Robinson noting how high the Falcons are on their veteran acquisition.

“Dial in the preseason, because this is geared to be your only shot to see him against an opponent in 2024,” Robinson wrote about Penix in his post on X (formerly Twitter).

It’s a bleak reality check for Falcons fans who are (rightly) excited about Penix’s potential, knowing that a team expected to contend for a division title won’t get anything out of its first-round pick with so many immediately useful players still on the board.

Signing Kirk Cousins takes the Falcons out of the first-round QB draft sweepstakes

Signing Kirk Cousins to a huge deal takes the Falcons out of the first-round QB draft sweepstakes in the 2024 NFL draft

The Atlanta Falcons were one of several teams picking in the first half of the first round of the 2024 NFL draft that was widely anticipated to be part of the premium quarterback sweepstakes. One swift move in free agency seemingly pulled all the Falcons’ tickets out of the quarterback draft hopper.

The Falcons are set to sign longtime Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to a monster deal in free agency. When the league year changes on Wednesday, Cousins is expected to join the Falcons on a shiny new four-year contract worth a meaty $180 million.

That sort of financial commitment effectively removes the Falcons from considering a first-round quarterback. Atlanta holds the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Adding Cousins to a QB room that already includes Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke (at least temporarily) should close the door on Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot and new head coach Raheem Morris from committing boffo resources to the position.

As for the Minnesota Vikings, Cousins’ old team, it’s one less team in their way to drafting their (hopeful) long-term replacement for Cousins. Minnesota currently has the No. 11 overall pick and a quarterback room of Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens.

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson running away with OROY

Bijan Robinson has elevated his play in the NFL since the Falcons drafted him in the first round.

We had a feeling former Texas and current Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson was going to be pretty special. But I can’t say I saw the former Longhorns star being this productive so soon in his career. Especially on a Falcons offense that isn’t exactly loaded with talent.

Robinson has 180 yards rushing in two games on only 29 attempts. This works out to 6.2 yards per carry. Robinson also has 10 receptions for 75 more yards and one receiving touchdown.

The Falcons are 2-0 and a huge part of that is because of the significant the contributions Robinson has made for Atlanta. He has attributed to 16 first downs including five of those through the air.

If Robinson keeps this up, he might just run away and hide with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Houston QB CJ Stroud is another guy putting up big numbers and if Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua stays in the starting lineup, he could as well.

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Watch Falcons RB Bijan Robinson’s 1st NFL touch

Check out Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson’s first NFL carry.

It took exactly one play for Atlanta Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson to put the rest of the NFL on notice. Robinson made his NFL debut in Atlanta’s second preseason game and on his first carry broke loose for 12 yards.

Later in the same drive, Robinson made an impressive one-handed catch on a poorly thrown pass on a screen and hauled it in for six yards.

Robinson was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Robinson was dominant during his career at the University of Texas and he is hoping to bring that same level of play to the NFL.

Through one quarter on Friday night, Robinson has 20 yards on four carries and one reception for six yards.

The Atlanta Falcons keep meeting with first-round QBs

Could the Falcons be a surprise player in the market for the QBs in the 2023 draft?

The Atlanta Falcons hold the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Projections for what Falcons GM Terry Fontenot will do with that pick have been all over the positional map, from offensive tackle to cornerback and nearly everywhere in between.

One possibility that hasn’t been projected often is for the Falcons to select a quarterback at No. 8. Yet the team is wrapping up its 30 prospect visits by meeting with Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud. He’s the third prominent quarterback to visit with the Falcons recently, along with Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Will Levis from Kentucky.

Atlanta drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round a year ago and added Taylor Heinicke in the offseason as a free agent. Ridder started the Falcons’ final four games in 2022 and did not play poorly, but also didn’t cement himself as the team’s long-term starter.

It’s important to not read too much into which prospects a team visits with, but it doe raise an eyebrow for the Falcons to be kicking the tires on the top quarterbacks. Whether it’s interest on their own behalf or just trying to drum up trade potential, Fontenot and the Falcons are adding more layers of uncertainty within the top 10.

NFL Scoreboard, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 14

NFL predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 14 of the 2022 season

NFL predictions, schedule, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 14 of the 2022 season highlighted by Dolphins at Chargers, Eagles at Giants, Vikings at Lions, Jets at Bills

NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 14

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Results So Far
SU: 65-36-1, ATS: 53-46-3, Point Total: 63-38-1

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams

Prediction: Los Angeles 24, Las Vegas 23
Line: Raiders -6.5, o/u: 42.5
Final Score: Los Angeles Rams 17, Las Vegas 16

Expert Picks Week 14 NFL | Bowls 16-19

Saturday, December 11, 2022

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

Prediction: Buffalo 24, New York Jets 17
Line: Buffalo -10, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: Buffalo 20, New York Jets 12

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

Prediction: Cincinnati 26, Cleveland 20
Line: Cincinnati -5.5, o/u: 46.5
Final Score: Cincinnati 23, Cleveland 10

Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys

Prediction: Dallas 30, Houston 16
Line: Dallas -17, o/u: 44
Final Score: Dallas 27, Houston 23

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

Prediction: Minnesota 27, Detroit 24
Line: Detroit -2, o/u: 51.5
Final Score: Detroit 43, Minnesota 23

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans

Prediction: Tennessee 24, Jacksonville 17
Line: Tennessee -3.5, o/u: 41
Final Score: Jacksonville 36, Tennessee 22

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

Prediction: Philadelphia 26, New York Giants 20
Line: Philadelphia -7, o/u: 45
Final Score: Philadelphia 48, New York Giants 22

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Prediction: Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 13
Line: Pittsburgh -1.5, o/u: 36.5
Final Score: Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 14

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

Prediction: Kansas City 27, Denver 16
Line: Kansas City -9.5, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: Kansas City 34, Denver 28

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers

Prediction: San Francisco 23, Tampa Bay 16
Line: San Francisco -3.5, o/u: 37
Final Score: San Francisco 35, Tampa Bay 7

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

Prediction: Seattle 26, Carolina 20
Line: Seattle -3.5, o/u: 44.5
Final Score: Carolina 30, Seattle 24

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers

Prediction: Miami 30, Los Angeles 27
Line: Miami -3.5, o/u: 53.5
Final Score: Los Angeles Chargers 23, Miami 17

Monday, December 12, 2022

New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals

8:15 ESPN
Line: New England -1.5, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: COMING

NFL Teams on Bye: Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Washington

Expert Picks Week 14 NFL | Bowls 16-19

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