DENVER — On a day marked by the impressive performance of Bo Nix, rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made a brief appearance during the final moments of a lopsided game.
In the competitive landscape of the NFL, it’s clear that not all rookies take the field immediately, especially when their teams have recently secured a star free agent. Nix exemplified the potential that had been anticipated of him, passing for 307 yards and throwing four touchdowns, both season highs, as the Denver Broncos triumphed over the Atlanta Falcons with a score of 38-6 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Penix entered the game in the fourth quarter but only saw limited action, completing 2 of 4 passes. Even in this garbage time performance, he provided Falcons fans with a glimpse of what might be in the future as he prepares and learns from experienced veteran Kirk Cousins.
Penix shared his approach to being ready when the chance comes, saying, “Each and every day, I just try my best to be prepared. Just watching Kirk and seeing how he goes about his day, and how he operates at a high level. Just trying to feed off of that, so that whenever I do get in the game, I’m ready for those moments.”
Drafted eighth overall in a quarterback-heavy draft filled with talents like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye, all of whom have experienced their share of obstacles and successes, Penix is still waiting for his opportunity to showcase his abilities. He has had limited field time with this being only his second appearance in the NFL; he had thrown just one pass in a prior game against Seattle in Week 7.
As a left-handed player, Penix is embracing his role as a backup and soaking up as much knowledge as he can from Cousins, who recently signed a lucrative four-year contract worth $180 million with the Falcons just before the franchise caught the NFL off guard by selecting Penix in the draft.
On game days, he remains focused from the sidelines, listening intently through his headset while mentally rehearsing what he would do in different scenarios as they unfold during the game. “It’s different being on the sideline than being in the game, but the best I can, just going through the reads, looking at the guys based on our reads,” Penix explained. “Taking mental reps and trying to see what coverages they give us, different looks they give us.”
Penix recorded his first completion of the game with about nine minutes left, finding Ray-Ray McCloud III for a 20-yard gain. He managed another completion but couldn’t recall to whom he threw it until Cousins jogged his memory about the 4-yard pass to KhaDarel Hodge.
Coach Raheem Morris clarified that this outing was not an assessment for Penix, rather it was a tactical move to preserve Cousins in a game that had quickly spiraled out of control. Despite Cousins’ struggles (completing 18 of 27 passes for 173 yards and an interception), the Falcons were unable to score while the Broncos dominated with 400 total yards compared to Atlanta’s 226.
With a bye week upcoming, it offered a crucial moment to rest Cousins before the NFC South-leading Falcons (6-5) head into their match-up against the Los Angeles Chargers on December 1. Morris acknowledged Penix’s contribution: “Penix got us out of the game, the game that got away from us and did a nice job of doing that. Nothing to talk about. Michael Penix wasn’t being graded on that. He was able to get us out of the game a little bit healthier.”