The Atlanta Falcons have absolutely exploded, leading the NFL in scoring over the last two weeks with an astounding 80 total points thanks to Michael Penix Jr. taking over under center. It’s a complete 180 from where they started the season, and it’s got everyone in the league talking about what’s next for this revamped attack.
From Zero Red Zone to Scoring Machine: The Penix Jr. Effect Is Real
Man, it’s wild to look back at the first two weeks. The Falcons’ offense was straight-up brutal, the worst in the entire NFL. They scraped together just 16 total points and couldn’t even sniff the red zone in those two games. Fast forward to the last two weeks, and it’s a completely different squad. They dropped 35 points on the Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football” and then followed that up by hanging 45 on the New Orleans Saints on “Monday Night Football.” Seriously, 80 points in two games? That’s just ridiculous. The biggest change? Backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who was dreadful in the first two games, got benched for starter Michael Penix Jr. in Week 3. According to Tru Media, Rush was ranked 41st among 41 qualified quarterbacks in expected points added (EPA) per dropback. Penix Jr., though, is sitting pretty at fifth in that same group. That’s not just a change, that’s a total offensive rejuvenation!
Penix Jr. Unleashes the Deep Ball
While both Rush and Penix Jr. have gotten the ball out ridiculously fast,Rush at 2.53 seconds, Penix Jr. even quicker at a league-leading 2.36 seconds,and both are slinging a ton of screens (20.5% for Rush, 20% for Penix Jr.), Penix Jr. is the one actually pushing the ball downfield. Rush only threw passes more than 10 yards in the air 23% of the time, completing just 3 of 9 attempts for 56 yards. Penix Jr.? He’s letting it rip on 31.1% of his throws, going 9-of-14 for a massive 276 yards and a touchdown on those deep shots. That’s the difference right there. He’s not just taking the easy stuff; he’s opening up the entire playbook.
Bijan Robinson Is Feasting on the Ground
It’s not just Penix Jr.’s arm doing the work, either. The run game has absolutely exploded alongside him. Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson combined for 447 rushing yards in Weeks 3 and 4. They tore up the Packers for 242 yards and then gashed the Saints for 205. Compare that to the first two games where they ran for 120 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers and 157 against the Carolina Panthers. While they ran well then, it’s been a completely different beast since Penix Jr. took over. That connection, that ability to stretch the field, it’s letting Bijan do his thing at an entirely different level.
This Falcons offense, with Michael Penix Jr. at the helm, is playing at a pace and scoring at a clip nobody saw coming after their miserable start. The question isn’t whether he’s revived the offense, it’s if this kind of blistering performance can keep rolling and what they’ll look like next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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