The individual stats won’t blow you away, but Michael Penix Jr.’s starting debut for the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday was pretty darn impressive. The rookie, controversially taken No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and even more controversially inserted into the starting lineup after Atlanta benched Kirk Cousins this week, more than held his own in a late-season effort in a tough spot for a rookie.
Yes, the opponent was easy — the New York Giants are a very bad football team right now. Yes, the circumstances were ideal — starting at home against a two-win team is the perfect place to begin your career. And yes, he did minimal damage from a stat standpoint — Penix passed for just 202 yards, no touchdowns and a pick in the 34-7 beatdown of New York.
But the stats don’t tell the whole story, not by a lot. On the interception, Penix