The Atlanta Falcons fell short once again, dropping a 20-10 road loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had an up-and-down outing, flashing confidence early but fading late as the offense stalled in the second half. Despite the defeat, Penix delivered a pointed message afterward, emphasizing the Falcons’ depth and talent.
“We have too many good players on this team to not find a way to win,” Penix said via team reporter Tori McElhaney, expressing frustration over the lack of execution.
Unfortunately, Penix’s night ended with a scare. He was seen heading to the medical tent late in the game after absorbing multiple hits. Head coach Raheem Morris downplayed the situation postgame, saying, “He gave me the thumbs up on the sideline, so he was OK to finish. We’ll see where he is tomorrow.”
On Wednesday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero provided an update, reporting that Penix was limited in practice with what the Falcons described as a knee injury. The team has not changed his official status ahead of Week 8, meaning his availability remains in question as Atlanta prepares to face the Miami Dolphins.
Further evaluation revealed that Penix is dealing with a bone bruise, a relatively minor setback that shouldn’t keep him out long. “He might be limited a little bit in practice this week, but full expectation is that Penix will be good to go on Sunday,” Pelissero said.
The Falcons’ offensive struggles have magnified Penix’s growing pains. According to Next Gen Stats, he failed to complete any of his nine pass attempts under pressure against San Francisco — the most by any quarterback in a game since 2023. Still, the 2024 first-round pick has shown steady progress, throwing for 1,409 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Atlanta, now 3-3, needs its young signal-caller at full strength to bounce back against a Dolphins team equally desperate for a win.
