Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had arguably the best game of his young career on Sunday, dropping three touchdowns and a 118.9 passer rating on the San Francisco 49ers in an upset win.
For his efforts, Penix has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week, the first win of his pro career.
Asked to comment on the award on Wednesday, Penix deferred and credited his teammates rather than claiming the glory for himself.
"It’s awesome," said Penix. "You can’t do that by yourself. It’s shows the guys I have around me, the guys we have in this building. They make my job easier, but it’s an awesome award, and I’m thankful for it."
This is what good quarterbacks say, but Penix deserves to take most of the credit for Atlanta's offensive
success against a top-five defensive unit led by former head coach Raheem Morris.
The Niners managed to slow down running back Bijan Robinson quite a bit, holding him to just 63 rushing yards on 20 carries (3.2 yards per attempt) and kept him out of the end zone. The Falcons simply would not have come out on top without a productive game from Penix.
Atlanta's offensive line also deserves some of the credit - they kept Penix very clean in the pocket, allowing just a 9% pressure rate. The more of that we see, the more Penix is going to start racking up awards and accolades.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Michael Penix comments on winning Offensive Player of the Week award
