Falcons rookie quarterback Mike Penix got off to a slow start, but then finished in fine fashion in the 44-38 overtime loss to the Panthers on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
With the defense playing poorly, Penix was able to match the Panthers score-for-score in what turned into a high scoring affair.
With wide receiver Darnell Mooney out with a shoulder injury, Penix leaned heavily on wide receiver Drake London, who received 18 targets. London caught 10 passe for 187 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons finished 8-9 and posted their seventh consecutive losing season.
Penix was named the starter with three games to play and the Falcons needing to win all three to make the playoffs. The team benched veteran Kirk Cousins, who had started throwing interceptions at a high rate.
Penix had not worked with the first team wide receivers until the switch was made, so they had to make the best of the timing over the games against the Giants, Commanders and Panthers.
“Man, that the connection with the receivers is continuing to grow,” Penix said. “It’s still going to continue to grow. I feel like it was growing throughout the game.”
Penix completed 21 of 38 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
“I started to feel more confident, comfortable, (with) each and every throw that I made with those guys,” Penix said. “Just knowing that I gave them a chance and opportunity to do some great.’
Penix believes the Falcons can build on the 38-point outburst. The Falcons beat the Giants 34-7, but two of the touchdowns were pick-sixes by the defense.
“Yeah, for sure, man, anytime you are on the field you’re always learning,” Penix said. “You are always growing. So, I’m definitely going to take stuff from what happened these past three weeks (and) find ways to get better. Whatever I did good at, you know, just continue to build off of that. So, I’m super excited for the offseason and be able to get ready to do that.”
The Falcons had a chance to claim a stake to the NFC South title. They needed to win and hope that the Saints defeated the Bucs. Neither happened. The Falcons loss and the Bucs rallied to beat the Saints, 27-19.
“The whole message all week was control the controllables,” Penix said. “What we could control is what we did in this game. Obviously, we fell short. So, it didn’t matter what happened with the other game because we didn’t control what we could control, which was today. But that was the main message all week.”
The Panthers were 4-12 entering the game and had benched quarterback Bryce Young earlier this season.
“We came out here to win this game and whatever happened with the other game, we couldn’t control that,” Penix said. “So, we just had to come out here and dominate and get this win. But we fell short of that.”
The Falcons weren’t really ready to go to the playoffs. But they were in contention.
“Yeah, man, it’s tough,” Penix said. “I’ve seen these guys working extremely hard all off season and all through camp and just all season. Just seeing the relationships that (were) built throughout this team and the guys just always leaning on each other in big time moments.”
It was a rollercoaster of ride for the Falcons this season and Penix, who was taken with the eight overall pick in the draft.
“When you think about earlier on in the season, getting a big win on Monday Night Football against the Eagles,” Penix said. “(Kicker Younghoe) Koo kicking game-winners and stuff like that.
Just knowing the guys we had around us, it was like we had an opportunity to beat everybody on our schedule.”
After reaching 6-3, the Falcons had a four-game losing streak that turned their season under new head coach Raheem Morris sideways.
“I mean, it’s the NFL, you know, it’s football,” Penix said. “We are playing the best of the best. Things are not always going to fall our way. But we have got to find ways to come out with those big time wins that really count and we’ll do that. We’ll do that in the future. That’s what I can’t wait for.”
Penix will clean out his locker on Monday, but he’ll have a message for the rest of the team.
“Just tell the guys to continue to believe,” Penix said. “This season didn’t go how we wanted it to go. We didn’t get to the playoffs, but man, you just got to believe. Believe in the process. Believe in the coaches, the schemes that’s put up each and every week. Going into this offseason with the right mindset. We want to come back and get better.”
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