It is not getting much better for the Atlanta Falcons. They are now on a five-game losing skid following a 30-27 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers at home on Sunday. In the same game, the Falcons saw quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffer an apparent knee injury that led to his exit in the third quarter.
Penix was not able to return to the contest, with backup and veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins taking over the role under center the rest of the way.
There are no concrete details yet about Penix's injury, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network shared that it could be a reaggravation of a previous knee issue.
“Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr is believed to have aggravated the same knee injury as earlier in the season, per me and @TomPelissero. That bone bruise in the same knee kept him out one game. More tests coming, but there is concern he’ll miss some time,” Rapoport wrote via a social media post on X, formerly Twitter.
Cousins also started under center in lieu of Penix, when the latter sat out the Falcons' Week 8 game at home against the Miami Dolphins because of a bone bruise on his left knee. But Cousins also struggled moving the chains for Atlanta in that contest, as he went 21-of-31 for 173 passing yards with zero touchdowns in a 34-10 loss to Tua Tagovailoa and company.
Before he exited the Panthers game, Penix threw for a total of 175 passing yards on 13-of-16 pass completions with zero touchdowns and no interceptions.
Cousins did not offer the Falcons much encouragement with his showing, as he went just 6-of-14 for 48 passing yards.
Atlanta generated much of its offense via its rushing attack. Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson burned rubber for 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, while Tyler Allgeier provided a rushing score.
At 3-7, the Falcons are getting desperate for a win that would stop their bleeding and add a glimmer of hope to their playoff chances. They have a matchup against the New Orleans Saints on the road in Week 12, with Penix's status for that showdown up in the air at the moment.
