Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris addressed the media Wednesday and unfortunately had to face a question nobody realistically thought would be asked, especially not in Week 4 of the season: Is there an open QB competition between Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins?
Morris quickly shut down the idea before it could gain traction. “Mike’s our quarterback," the Falcons head coach said emphatically. "We’ve got a lot of confidence in Mike. Mike’s the guy.”
Morris repeated his support for the rookie multiple times, making it clear there is no quarterback controversy in Flowery Branch. The question stemmed from Penix’s rough outing last weekend in Charlotte where Atlanta lost to Carolina, 30-0.
The Midday Show with Andy and Randy didn’t hold back in their reaction, questioning how such a topic even made it into a press conference.
"Who the h*ll asked that question," Randy McMichael said. "This dude, this young quaretrback had a bad game. He is the future of this franchise, right? And there was a debate whether he should be the starter this weekend or if Rah was going to have a quarterback competition?
While Andy and Randy both dismissed the notion of a true QB controversy, they agreed that Penix’s performance has to improve quickly if the Falcons want to avoid deeper problems.
That’s where the real concern lies. Penix is clearly the franchise’s future, and the Falcons’ brass has gone all-in on him. But as Andy Bunker pointed out, “If he keeps playing like that, they’re gonna lose a lot of games.” With a young quarterback, a first-year play caller, and an offense struggling to find rhythm, Atlanta has little margin for error. The early dysfunction Morris’ team is navigating is real, and while there’s no quarterback competition today, the pressure on Penix to settle in and elevate this offense is already mounting.