The Atlanta Falcons have the second-toughest schedule remaining in the league, which doesn't bode well for their chances of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season.
However, this season could still be considered a win if they have indeed finally found their franchise quarterback to replace Matt Ryan, five years after he left the team.
Michael Penix Jr. has started four games now and has put up solid numbers across the board.
In the latest quarterback rankings from Nick Shook at NFL.com, Penix is at No. 13, up one spot from last week.
"Much of Michael Penix Jr.’s final stat line was earned after Chicago took a 31-7 lead, but I won’t hold that against him entirely. He still propelled the Falcons back into a game that seemed decided
long before the final whistle, and overall, he’s performed better than most (myself included) expected."
Penix's game has grown by leaps and bounds since his 2025 campaign ended early due to his third career ACL tear. He's far more accurate than we had previously seen, raising his completion rate to 64.5%, up from 60.1% last year and 58.1% as a rookie. Penix has also been more aggressive throwing downfield, boosting his average yards per attempt to 8.6, up from just 7.2 last season.
Best of all Penix is taking much better care of the ball - throwing just one interception so far on his first drive of the season after he returned to the lineup.
If Penix can stay healthy and continue performing like this the rest of the year, the Falcons won't need to continue looking for their QB1 of the future - that question will be settled.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Michael Penix Jr. rises one spot in NFL.com QB rankings
