FLOWERY BRANCH — For the first 15 weeks of the season, the Falcons’ first-string defensive backs went against quarterback Michael Penix Jr. every day in practice.
As the backup quarterback, Penix ran the scout team (second-team offense) against the first-team defense. He job was to run the opponent’s offense.
That will change this week after the Falcons promoted Penix to starting quarterback Tuesday.
He worked with the first-team offense when they went through a walk-through practice Wednesday.
The Falcons defensive backs believe he’ll be just fine when the Falcons (7-7) face the Giants (2-12) at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“He does a good job of keeping us sharp,” starting cornerback Mike Hughes said. “You know the old saying of iron sharpens iron. Going against him in practice, it helps us a lot, too. We know how talented he is and how well he delivers the ball to his receivers. It’s always been great work all year.”
The team still was digesting the news.
“Everybody is kind of still taking it in,” Hughes said. “We haven’t had a team meeting or anything. So, really to discuss the whole thing. We are just taking it all in. Just rolling with the flow right now.”
Hughes was asked what’s been most impressive about Penix.
“The arm strength, and the talent is definitely there,” Hughes said. “He’s smart. I’ll give him a lot of credit in that area. As far as delivering the ball and throwing great timing routes. Zipping the ball in there where sometimes it doesn’t need a lot of air. He can zip it in there to his receivers. It’s been great work for us all year. Keep us on our toes, as well.”
Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, a candidate for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, has been impressed with Penix.
“He’s been looking good just taking all of his reps,” Terrell said. “He’s trying to make sure he gives us great looks week in and week out. He’s been pretty good doing it.”
Terrell was asked what’s been most impressive to him.
“You just see that he’s an all-around good athlete,” Terrell said. “We brought him here for a reason. Him just going against our No. 1 defense and giving us the greatest look that he could for us to get prepared for the games. He does a great job week in, week out with that.”
Nickel back Dee Alford has enjoyed going against Penix, too.
“Mike is a great quarterback,” Alford said. “He gives us great looks every week. It doesn’t matter who we are playing against. You know that you have to come to practice against the scout team and be on your P’s and Q’s because if you don’t Mike is going to dial it up. He always give us a good look.”
Alford has a takeaway from the practices against Penix.
“He’s got some power behind his throws, for sure,” Alford said.
Safety Justin Simmons also noted the work that Penix was putting in as the scout-team quarterback.
“It’s been good,” Simmons said. “He’s done a tremendous job. I think he’s going to do great for the team. The guys upstairs, they are the ones who make those decisions. Yeah, he’s done a good job.”
Like Hughes said, the team still was taking in the news.
“It’s part of the business. The people upstairs, they always check on (the morale),” Simmons said. “Our job is to support whoever is out there.”
Falcons coach Raheem Morris believes that Penix is ready.
“Mike has been doing everything that we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here,” Morris said. “For us, it was just the plan with Mike, that he didn’t have to play right now. Our quarterback was going in the right direction.
“The team was going in the right direction. We were doing a lot of really good things. Got a lot of really good stats. ... Right now, it’s time to make a change, and that’s what we are doing.”
Morris called Penix on Tuesday evening to inform him that he’d be replacing Kirk Cousins in the lineup.
“In Michael’s case, he’s excited because he’s going to get a chance to play,” Morris said. “He’s done nothing out of character in order to get this position. He deserves it.”
Cousins wasn’t happy, but took the news in stride.
“Coach let me know yesterday that we were going to make a change at quarterback,” Cousins said. “It’s pro football. There’s a standard that I have for myself, that the team has for me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t playing up to that standard consistently enough ... you roll with it. You still get ready, one play away kind of thing. Support Mike and just try to help our team be able to find a way to win these last three to get into the playoffs.”
Penix will have to get us to throwing to the first-team receivers.
“It’s definitely going to be different throwing to different guys,” Morris said.
Penix will get all of the first-team reps this week.
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