ATLANTA — As Michael Penix Jr. ascended the tunnel, he experienced a fleeting sense of nerves, but he soon settled into the role of starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons.

Penix’s inaugural start in the NFL unfolded seamlessly, aided significantly by a defense that scored two touchdowns off interceptions, resulting in a dominating 34-7 victory over the New York Giants. This triumph strengthened Atlanta’s chances of securing a playoff berth. “It’s the game I’ve been playing since I was 5 years old,” said the 24-year-old rookie. “Although the level is different, it’s still the same game. I just need to focus on executing, and once we hit the field, I felt at ease.”

Jessie Bates and Matthew Judon each recorded pick-six touchdowns, propelling Atlanta (8-7) to its second consecutive win following a challenging four-game losing streak that threatened its postseason aspirations. Coming into this matchup, the Falcons trailed Tampa Bay in the NFC South but leveraged a win to reclaim first place after the Buccaneers faltered against Dallas later in the day.

Selected as the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft, Penix took over as starting quarterback after the Falcons opted to bench Kirk Cousins, who had been prone to turnovers, just months after signing him to a lucrative four-year contract worth $180 million, inclusive of $100 million in guarantees.

In his debut, Penix demonstrated poise, completing 18 of 27 passes for a total of 202 yards. His stats could have been even better without several dropped passes, including one by Kyle Pitts, which turned into Penix’s lone interception after being tipped into the air. “He went out and played almost flawless football,” remarked coach Raheem Morris. “He kept everything clean and steady.”

The Falcons’ defense made life easier for Penix by stifling a struggling Giants offense led by Drew Lock, who made his return as starting quarterback following a heel injury. The Giants’ loss extended their franchise-record losing streak to ten games. “You can’t win a game when you throw two interceptions for touchdowns,” said Giants’ coach Brian Daboll. “My focus is on this loss now, and it simply wasn’t good enough.”

Atlanta took a lead in the second quarter when Bates intercepted a Lock throw intended for Wan’Dale Robinson, returning it untouched for a 55-yard touchdown. Judon then effectively sealed the game early in the second half by scoring another pick-six, this one coming off a batted ball, setting the score to 24-7 in favor of the Falcons. This marked just the second occurrence in franchise history of Atlanta returning two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game; the only other instance occurred back in 1983.

Lock, continuing his struggles, became the first Giants quarterback since Eli Manning in 2007 to have multiple interceptions returned for touchdowns in one game, also fumbling during the match. On the offensive side for Atlanta, running back Bijan Robinson scored two rushing touchdowns—one from 2 yards and another from 4 yards—amassing 94 yards on 22 attempts. This achievement made him the first Falcons’ running back to reach ten touchdowns in a season since Devonta Freeman in the 2016 Super Bowl year.

Despite his own impressive performance, Robinson opted to spotlight Penix’s contribution during a tumultuous week for the team. “He carries himself incredibly well,” Robinson commented. “I could see how relaxed and composed he was during the game.”

The Giants kicked off the scoring with a touchdown pass from Lock to Tyrone Tracy, who made an impressive one-handed catch while narrowly staying in bounds. However, that moment proved to be a rare highlight in a season full of struggles for New York. In addition, Atlanta’s new kicker, Riley Patterson, successfully converted field goals of 52 and 37 yards, bouncing back after missing his initial 43-yard attempt.

The Falcons’ pass rush was relentless, contributing three sacks and forcing six additional hurries on Lock. After a dismal start to the season with only ten sacks over their first eleven games, the Falcons have since accumulated sixteen sacks over the last four games. “I could see the improvement in practice,” said Morris about the defense. “Over the last few weeks, they’ve really started to gel and rush together effectively.”

Injury updates showed that Giants’ linebacker Micah McFadden (neck) and safety Jason Pinnock (eye) both exited the contest and did not return. Meanwhile, Falcons’ cornerback Antonio Hamilton (quad) also left the game, although wide receiver Drake London (hamstring) left the field later in the game; Morris expressed optimism that it wasn’t a severe injury.

Looking ahead, the Giants will host the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday before concluding their season at Philadelphia on January 5. A loss in either of their final two matches would mean this season marks the fewest wins since the Giants recorded a dismal 2-12 in 1974. Conversely, the Falcons will head to Washington for a crucial game that has significant playoff implications for both squads next Sunday night.