Tag: Michael Penix Jr

Michael Penix Jr. says Falcons weren’t focused on Bucs game

Falcons QB Michael Penix says he and his teammates weren’t focused on Saints-Bucs game

Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons entered Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers on a mission.

That mission was to make it into the postseason, but Atlanta was not in control of its own destiny. In addition to needing a win over Carolina, the Falcons needed a little help from their friends. Well, more like frenemies on a day like this, if you will.

Atlanta needed the Saints to pull off an unthinkable upset against the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And astoundingly, New Orleans almost did just that before things went off the rails in the second half. A few late slip-ups allowed Tampa to take control for a 27-19 win.

Penix was asked whether he or his teammates were aware of what was happening in the critical NFC South showdown. According to Penix, the players weren’t paying attention.

“No, we weren’t,” the rookie said in the postgame press conference. “You’re in the moment. I still don’t even know what happened.”

And, it’s clear that Penix isn’t blowing smoke. He asked the reporter following that statement what the outcome of the game was.

“You kept up with the game, but we (were just out there) balling,” Penix replied.

The Falcons would not have gotten into the postseason anyway due to the 44-38 overtime loss, but both games were much closer than many anticipated. The rookie QB finished his third start with 312 passing yards, two touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown.

It will be interesting to see how Penix builds upon what he accomplished over these final three games of the season.

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Ravens rookie OT Roger Rosengarten will greatly help improve pass protection in 2024

The Baltimore Ravens will need to be more efficient pass blocking in 2024. Can rookie T Roger Rosengarten aid them in this agenda?

In NCAA CFB last season, Baltimore Ravens rookie offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten played for all 15 games. Rosengarten was a powerhouse in a Washington Huskies offense that produced 5,155 total passing yards in 2023.

If Rosengarten effectively protected rookie Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in college, perhaps Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta hopes Rosengarten can lessen the sacks allowed on quarterback Lamar Jackson.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6oxEPcOYdo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Although offensive linemen are rarely the poster boys for the NFL Draft, NFL scouts understand the importance of this position. Furthermore, Rosengarten is a tall, athletic powerhouse, and it will be essential to help secure the edge on zone running plays for running back Derrick Henry.

Ravens’ fans may also see more vertical passing from quarterback Lamar Jackson next season if pass protection improves. Baltimore allowed 17 sacks in 2024, so drafting Rosengarten was a wise decision. Rosengarten will be tasked with blocking big names like Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, Cleveland Browns Myles Garrett, and the headache that is Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson in his first season in the NFL.

Just like the Ravens were one victory away from a Super Bowl appearance,  Rosengarten was just a few plays away from the 2023-24 NCAA championship. Rosengarten’s championship aura may mesh well with a franchise that believes it’s just a few adjustments away from turning the tide.

Report: Saints did not try to trade up for Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.

Contrary to a prior report, it’s now been said that the New Orleans Saints did not try to trade up for Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

NFL draft season is Lyin’ Season, and it can be tough to parse fact from fiction — especially when a team like the Atlanta Falcons makes a widely-criticized pick and tries to cover themselves by spreading trade rumors to the media. Maybe that happened here, or maybe it didn’t. Maybe someone was just misinformed.

Either way, contrary to a prior report, it’s now been said that the New Orleans Saints did not try to trade up ahead of the Falcons to pick Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Saints News Network’s John Hendrix shot down that report, quoting a source as saying “It never happened.”

That makes sense. Penix is one of the older prospects in this draft class and wouldn’t see the field for at least two years while the Saints ride out the rest of Derek Carr’s contract. Trading more assets to move up for him would be neglectful at best. It doesn’t help that the Saints have a lot of arms on the roster already between Carr, Jake Haener, Nathan Peterman, Kellen Mond, and flex-player Taysom Hill. There wouldn’t be enough reps in practice to go around.

Could the Saints add another quarterback later on? Maybe. They probably should. Peterman and Mond have both flamed out in other stops already. They’re here to help Carr and Haener pick up the playbook more than anything else. If the Saints have an opportunity to add a rookie quarterback who could seriously challenge Haener for the backup job (and maybe develop into something more), they should consider it. That just can’t come at the expense of more pressing team needs.

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Breaking: Falcons select QB Michael Penix Jr at No. 8 overall

Breaking: The Atlanta Falcons selected Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL draft

That’s a stunner. Is stunner the right word? The Atlanta Falcons have decided to select Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Despite signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason, the Falcons still decide to take a quarterback that will be 28 years old when that deal expires.

It’s not that Penix isn’t a good player, it’s just that it is a head-scratcher of a pick given their needs and even potential to be a contender. Instead of building up their defense, they take someone that truthfully might never see the field for them.

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Broncos select pass rusher Laiatu Latu in 2024 NFL mock draft

Peter Schrager’s first-round NFL mock draft has the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 12.

In his first 2024 NFL mock draft, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager has the Denver Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu with the 12th overall pick.

Schrager has quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy going off the board with the first four picks. With none of the top QBs available, the Broncos pick Latu.

“Viewed by many as the best pure pass rusher in the draft, Latu absolutely could end up in Denver if the board falls this way,” Schrager wrote on NFL.com. “The Broncos would, of course, love to move up and get a top-four quarterback, but I just don’t think they have the ammunition. They’d have to really love Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. to take either at No. 12 overall. (Like really, REALLY love.) So Latu’s the prediction here.”

While many would state that the Broncos should draft a QB, continuing to load up on defense isn’t a bad idea. Latu’s 13 sacks last season with UCLA proved that he can provide the need to get to the quarterback. The Broncos’ defense slipped last season: their rush defense finished 30th, and their total defense was 29th. Using a first-round pick to retool the defense can help it get back to the level it was at in 2022 if it works out.

Nix gets picked at No. 23, for what it’s worth, but Penix falls out of the first round in Schrager’s mock.

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Raiders select a QB in latest Pro Football Focus mock draft

Raiders select a QB in latest Pro Football Focus mock draft

This is expected to be one of the wildest drafts in recent memory with as many as six quarterbacks potentially selected in Round 1. But could the Raiders be one of those teams to draft a quarterback in the first round?

In a recent mock draft by Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus, he gave the Raiders a QB at No. 13; Michael Penix Jr of Washington. Here is why he believes Penix could be a great fit in Las Vegas:

The 1983 NFL Draft set the record for the most first-round quarterbacks, with six hearing their names called. This class not only has a strong chance of tying that record, but all six could go in the top 15.

Penix has NFL-level arm talent and was one of the best signal-callers in college football in each of the past two seasons.

There is no doubt that the Raiders will select a quarterback at some point during the 2024 NFL Draft. But could Penix really be the pick at No. 13? All the signs have been pointing towards Penix being a first-round pick for the last several weeks and it seems like a perfect in Luke Getsy’s offense.

While this is far from a lock, it does appear that Penix to the Raiders has gained a lot of traction over the last few weeks. Don’t be surprised if the Raiders go in this direction in a few weeks.

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Watch: Washington gets back in the game with a score before halftime

Michael Penix Jr makes it a one-score game with a touchdown pass in the National Championship game

Early on, it looked like the Michigan Wolverines would run away with the National Championship game. With a 17-3 lead, they looked dominant. However, just before halftime, the Washington Huskies put together a drive of their own, capped by a Michael Penix Jr touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan.

The drive started on the Washington 39-yard line. The drive spanned 11 plays and 61 yards. The Huskies Southpaw started to heat up as he led the offense down the field to get back within striking distance.

The touchdown pass came on 4th down after Michigan failed on a 4th down attempt of their own. With the Huskies getting the ball back after halftime, it could signal a big momentum shift in the game. Penix Jr will look to keep it up in the 2nd half.

Michael Penix Jr. raves about Penn State’s new DC at CFP National Championship media day

Michael Penix Jr. raves about Tom Allen at CFP National Championship Media Day.

The College Football Playoff National Championship game kicks off Monday night from Houston’s NRG Stadium, but before then, we had media day throughout the day on Saturday.

Both head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media and players from both Michigan and Washington, respectively. When Huskies’ star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took the podium, he was asked about his path to the title game, and one man in particular stood out: [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag].

The newly hired Penn State defensive coordinator and ex-Indiana Hoosiers head coach recruited Penix to Bloomington. He believed in the future Heisman runner-up after Tennessee’s new staff under Jeremy Pruitt didn’t see a future with Penix. Although Penix’s career in Indiana was riddled with several season-ending injuries, there was no love lost between Penix and his former head coach.

“He’s a great coach. He’s a coach that it’s easy to love him because of the guy he is, the person he is. I feel like he cares about his players. He cares about the person more than the player. I feel like he’s a guy that will definitely do great things at Penn State (as DC). He’s going to bring great leadership. He’s going to bring great energy, intensity each & every day. He was always the same guy every day & always had that same energy, same spark, trying to help the team be better in any way that he could. I feel like they’re definitely getting a good coach” – via @Brett_McMurphy

Now preparing to start his final collegiate game in the National Championship, Penix will get the chance to go out with a bang if he can deliver a title for the Huskies. Allen is a big reason why he is in this position. After all, he is the one who hired Kalen DeBoer, his offensive coordinator, to work with Penix in 2019.

It sure sounds like [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] made a homerun hire with Allen as his new defensive coordinator. Former players raving about their coaches is always a good sign, and Penix’s quote sure makes it seem that Penn State has a tremendous leader to coach its defense.

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Jameis Winston predicted half of the 2023 Heisman Trophy finalists

Jameis Winston knows ball. Two of the New Orleans Saints quarterback’s Heisman Trophy picks are finalists for this year’s award:

Jameis Winston knows ball. Like all former Heisman Trophy winners, he’s given a ballot for the award’s voting each year, and the New Orleans Saints quarterback shared his picks for the 2023 finalists earlier in November.

And half his picks made the cut. Winston named LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels and Oregon Ducks passer Bo Nix as two of the most impressive players in college football this season, and they’re both in the running with invitations to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation coming up in December. Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. also made the cut.

Winston’s other two picks were left out, though: USC Trojans signal-caller Caleb Williams (the reigning winner) and Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (who led Winston’s alma mater to an undefeated season and conference championship). Williams regressed this season and Travis suffered a season-ending injury, so neither of them were in the running when it came time for voters to turn in their ballots.

So who is going to be this year’s winner? We’ll have to wait and find out when the 2023 Heisman Trophy is awarded on Saturday, Dec. 9.

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The best quarterbacks against AP Top 25 opponents in the regular season

Comparing top quarterbacks based on their performances against top 25 teams in 2023.

Breaking down the numbers against AP top 25 opponents, we see that Noah Fifita of Arizona had a strong season with 16 touchdowns in those six games. Fifita filled in for Jayden De Laura late in the game against Stanford and took over the starting role against Washington. Fifita performed quite well and never relinquished the starting job back to De Laura.

The Pac-12 has a large portion of the quarterbacks on this list that performed well against top 25 teams. Along with Fifita, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, Washington QB Michael Penix Jr, Washington State QB Cameron Ward, and Oregon QB Bo Nix all qualified as top passers.

Sanders was not only among the most productive passers, but he was also among the leaders in sacks taken. He was sacked 28 times for a total of 250 yards lost. Ward was among the most sacked passers as well with 16 sacks for 91 yards lost.

Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr are set to face one more top 25 team as they go head-to-head on Friday night in Las Vegas for the Pac-12 championship. The winner is almost certainly in for the College Football Playoffs.

Here is how the top quarterbacks performed, sorted by touchdown passes.

Quarterback Games Comp% Yards YPA TDs INTs
Noah Fifita 6 74.9 1,705 8.1 16 4
Shedeur Sanders 6 67.8 1,764 7.3 14 1
Carson Beck 4 74.6 1,247 10.2 11 2
Jayden Daniels 4 66.9 1,238 10.5 10 2
Michael Penix Jr 4 59.1 1,052 7.7 10 2
Tyler Van Dyke 4 62.9 1,121 9.0 10 3
Cameron Ward 4 70.4 1,371 8.5 10 2
Devin Leary 5 55.1 933 6.8 9 2
Bo Nix 4 79.7 1,228 8.3 9 1

One quarterback that was surprisingly not among the top players was USC Trojans gunslinger Caleb Williams. He finished with just 5 touchdown and 3 interceptions in four games against AP top 25 teams.