The Atlanta Falcons had a lot go wrong in their 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the team's four turnovers were by far the biggest issue in Week 8. After playing arguably the best game of his NFL career last weekend, Michael Penix Jr. tossed four interceptions in Sunday's shutout.
It wasn't just Penix, though, as the rain made it tough for either quarterback to find much rhythm in Week 8. Baker Mayfield did not complete a single pass all afternoon, while Penix went 8/24 for 125 yards and a passer rating of 12.0.
"The conditions were the conditions, and they were the better team today," Penix said of the weather. "Whenever the conditions are like this, you can't turn the ball over, you've got to do your best to make sure you protect the ball.
Our defense played great so we just kind of put them in a lot of bad spots."
The Falcons quarterback was clearly disappointed with himself, but he promised he would bounce back from his rocky outing.
"I ain't never thrown four picks in a game," Penix said after the game. "I'm gonna shake back, man. I promise you I will."
As bad as the performance was, it really did seem like an outlier when you look at the team's body of work since Penix's return. Prior to yesterday's game, the third-year QB had gone four straight games without throwing a pick. Penix entered Week 8 with a 9/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
"There ain't no excuse," Penix concluded "I've got to protect the ball."
Atlanta will look to bounce back against a dangerous Cincinnati Bengals team in Madrid next Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons QB makes a promise after 4-INT game vs. Buccaneers
