Despite the Atlanta Falcons losing their regular-season finale to the Carolina Panthers 44-38 in overtime Sunday, there were some positive takeaways from the final game of the season. One of those positives being the performance of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The Falcons’ eighth-overall pick finished the game going 21 for 38 with 312 yards and two touchdowns. Penix also ran for a touchdown, and earlier today former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Dave Archer told The Morning Shift why he thinks Penix took the next step as an NFL quarterback.
“I just thought that he took the next step for me in his confidence, turning the ball loose," said Archer. "He made a number of throws yesterday that I think not every quarterback in the league that’s starting in the league makes some of those throws, and you can probably maybe even pair it down to maybe seven or eight guys make the throws. So I think the future is bright for him obviously.”
Archer also said that he believes “the sky is the limit for him” when talking about Penix.
This season didn’t turn out how the Falcons, or Falcons fans, wanted it to, but if there is one major silver lining to how the season played out, it looks like Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris, and the Falcons were spot-on picking Penix, because Penix looks like the Falcons franchise quarterback right now, and a darned good one.
