Falcons fans and staff are both excited for the upcoming 2025 NFL season in large part to see the performance of second-year quarterback and first-year starter Michael Penix Jr. Penix being left-handed is cause for concern for some, but not the Falcons staff, according to 929 The Game Falcons Insider Joe Patrick, who joined The Steakhouse this morning to discuss.
Traditionally, offensive lines have been structured around the handedness of the quarterback – primarily to protect the “blind side” among other things. But Patrick said, having spoken with Falcons OL Coach and Run Game Coordinator Dwayne Ledford, the Falcons aren’t worried about having a road grader of a RT in Kaleb McGary protecting the blind side.
The reason? According to Ledford and others, Robinson’s offensive scheme being so predicated out of pistol and shotgun means Penix has better vision of what is happening on his “blind” side. Protecting the quarterbacks blind side with a pass-blocking specialist became a trend in the 80s with Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor winning pass rushes quickly and sometimes meeting the quarterback in the backfield just as he got to the top of his seven- or nine-step drop from taking the snap under center. During the drop, the QB’s shoulder are turned completely one direction, limiting his awareness of what is happening in the other - the “blind” side.
But the way Falcons coaches explain it, in shotgun or pistol, there’s less of a true blind side. Pre-snap, the quarterback is set up 3-5 yards behind the center with his shoulders square. From there, there’s only a slight drop with shoulders turned (in Penix’s case) to the left. So while McGary may be prone to losing pass protection reps than his counterpart Jake Matthews, Penix will be better equipped to protect the ball, himself, or both if worse comes to worse.