Having now watched Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. start three games this season, the question is no longer if he can play at a consistently high level - that has been answered in the affirmative.
However, the injury questions have returned after Sunday night's overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Late in the fourth quarter, Penix drifted in the pocket under pressure and took a brutal blind shot to his right side, then had trouble getting up afterwards. Tua Tagovailoa came in and thew one pass, then Penix returned. However, when it came time for the Falcons to get their last possession in late in overtime Penix was unable to go - and Tagovailoa wound up throwing a game-losing interception.
After the game Penix said he probably
could have returned to the field if the Falcons had gotten the ball earlier, but the pain got to be too much as he sat on the bench cooling down while the Ravens ran down the clock. Here's what he had to say about his rib injury, per Josh Kendall at The Athletic.
"If we had the ball first in overtime, I probably would have been out there, but as we were sitting, it started getting worse and worse as I started getting cold... It’s a tough sport, physical sport. I got hit pretty good... I did take some throws on the sideline, and I didn’t feel like I was going to be able to give our team what we needed given the pain I was feeling.”
It was a brutal hit that Penix took, but he is vowing not to miss another game. He said he plans to be in the lineup next week against the Chicago Bears, per Kendall.
"Knowing me, I will be ready to go next week because I have sat out enough in my career, I am going to do everything I can in the training room. Obviously, I take my health very seriously so that is always going to come first, but I will work my tail off to make sure I am back out there on that field."
Despite missing his first five pass attempts, Penix finished with his third straight excellent stat-line. He went 19/32 for 240 yards, one touchdown, no turnovers and a 93.2 passer rating. He did take three sacks and had a season-low 58.5 QBR. However, Penix's willingness to scramble in the second half is a really positive sign for his recovery from offseason knee surgery. Hopefully he won't have to miss anymore time than he already has this season.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: What Falcons QB Michael Penix said about his rib injury vs. Ravens
