Michael Penix Jr. Played 'Almost Flawless Football' in 1st NFL Start, Falcons HC Says

Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made his first NFL start for the Atlanta Falcons in their 34-7 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, replacing 36-year-old Kirk Cousins.

After the win, Penix received the highest of praise from head coach Raheem Morris.

"He went out and played almost flawless football and kept the game really clean and kept everything clean for us in order for us to get a win," Morris said, per ESPN's Marc Raimondi.

The 8-7 Falcons sit in second place in the NFC South, narrowly behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who hold an 8-6 record. As the Falcons continue to battle for a playoff spot, the pressure was high for former Washington quarterback Penix Jr. to step in and lead his team to victory.

He completed 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards and one interception, which was not his fault after tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled the ball near the end zone, leading to an interception by Giants cornerback Cor'Dale Flott. Atlanta was able convert for 22 first downs, 10 coming of off passes from Penix Jr.

The change at the quarterback position came after Cousins recorded nine interceptions over his last five games with just one touchdown pass, leading the Falcons to a 1-4 record during that stretch, including a four-game losing streak that significantly damaged their playoff chances.

Cousins also leads the league in interceptions with 16 total, and his 12 fumbles are tied for the most in the NFL with Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield. The struggles prompted Morris to announce the quarterback change last Tuesday following the Falcons' 15-9 Monday Night Football loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Despite the respect Penix Jr. has for his veteran quarterback, he knows that he belongs on the field and was eager to seize his opportunity.

"I know that I'm here for a reason," Penix said, per Raimondi. "I worked extremely hard to get to this position and I just had to go out there and execute and we executed to get a win today."