Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris benched struggling quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., which went about in addition to Morris may have hoped. Penix helped the Falcons earn a dominant 34-7 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, bettering Atlanta to 8-7.
Following that victory, Morris expanded on why he selected to sit down Cousins with simply three video games left on the schedule.
“The choice needed to be made simply based mostly off of pure soccer efficiency,” Morris instructed NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated. “We weren’t taking part in properly sufficient. On the identical time, I used to be additionally grateful to [Cousins] for placing us in place to be the place we’re at proper now, to be aggressive, to be in a playoff race. This man obtained us as much as 6–3, actually obtained us going, and for no matter cause couldn’t sustain that play that he had at the start of the season. I needed to make the change.”
Cousins produced 5 straight duds and tossed one landing move with 9 interceptions over these outings earlier than Morris went to Penix. It is since been said that Cousins was coping with a “dead” arm and had “nicked his elbow and shoulder” in Atlanta’s Week 10 recreation on the New Orleans Saints final month. In the meantime, Penix accomplished 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards with no scores and a choose in opposition to the pitiful Giants (2-13).
Regardless of such unspectacular numbers, the eighth choice of the 2024 NFL Draft impressed his coach and seemingly injected life into an offense that desperately wanted a spark.
“He’s a really particular expertise, and it’s particularly his arm expertise,” Morris mentioned about Penix. “When you might have that, something can occur. For us, after we drafted him, we figured he was our future and he may take us locations. So I can’t wait to come back in and put together for subsequent week and watch him play once more.”
The Falcons now sit atop the NFC South standings since they earned two wins over the 8-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier within the season. As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Atlanta as a four-point underdog for the upcoming “Sunday Evening Soccer” recreation on the 10-5 Washington Commanders.
