Anticipation Is The Engine For Atlanta’s Offense
NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2026: Falcons Vs Packers SEP 24 September 24, 2026: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) passing the ball during the NFL football game between the Atlanta Flacons and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Darren Lee CSM IMAGO / Newscom World
Last night, the Atlanta Falcons comfortably defeated the Green Bay Packers 35-14, snapping a 13 year streak of Green Bay winning their home opener and cementing both teams' records at 1-2. The obvious difference in Atlanta’s play last night vs what they brought to the table the first 2 weeks of the season is the gap in quarterback quality between Cooper Rush & 3rd year starter Michael Penix Jr.
While Penix of course doesn’t categorize as an elite signal caller, his gifts in the fundamentals shift the floor of the Falcons’ offense to functional; and when you stir Bijan Robinson and Drake London into the recipe the talent those two possess enhances tenfold. If we dive into the specifics, there are three things Michael Penix Jr does that elevates the Falcons offense into an electric unit. As follows…
Tenacity
Picture this. As the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons via depth chart, your team is 0-2. You haven’t played a snap of football since Week 11 of last year, Cooper Rush was unwatchable the first two games of the season, the fans are yearning for a decent caliber quarterback, you’re going into a stadium of one of the most respected teams in the NFL, they haven’t lost a home opener since 2012, and on the 4th play of the game, you misread Xavier McKinney and get picked off to set up the Packers at their 45 yard line. Absolutely demoralizing. Most QBs in that context would check out or at least struggle to settle into the flow of the game.
But Penix did otherwise.
After the interception, Penix would go on to go 17/24, for 239 yards, 1 TD, and a 116.4 passer rating from that point on (finishing with a 101.4 on the night). For him to be up to the task of manning the Falcons offense following an early mistake is the mental resilience that extends a quarterback’s time in the NFL, and as a result, the team around him rallied. What’s even more impressive, is the consideration of the fact that he has not played a snap since the Falcons’ meeting against the Carolina Panthers in week 11 of last year, which resulted in an overtime loss. Penix suffered a partial ACL tear which resulted in Kirk Cousins finishing out the Falcons season.
Decisiveness
Running an NFL offense in today’s league has a lot to do with how much you lean into your skill position’s strengths. Bijan Robinson and Drake London as a duo pose as threats due to their ability to make plays with the ball in a short amount of time. Michael Penix at the helm is one of the more decisive quarterbacks in the NFL. According to NextGen Stats, Penix averaged 2.27 seconds per drop before the ball came out of his hands, the 3rd quickest of any QB in a single game this season.
What’s funny is the one of two quarterbacks ahead of him is Cooper Rush, who averaged a 2.19 TT against the Panthers the week before. However the contextual fact that separates the importance of the statistic is that a short TT is only beneficial if the passer has the zip on the ball to go with it, and Rush on short throws against Carolina (0-9 yards beyond the line of scrimmage) was 7/12, 66 yards, and an interception. Penix on the contrary, 7/8, 54 yards, and a touchdown. The natural talent and athleticism of Penix is more than enough for the Falcons to operate their offense and involve their star players.
Anticipation
Feeding back into the TT statistic, throwing with anticipation is a non-negotiable in most offenses in today’s NFL. The Falcons top two playmakers Robinson and London are at their best when the ball is given to them in the midst of a fluid motion, like at the top of a route out the backfield or as soon as the receiver reaches the bubble of the DB. While Cooper Rush in week 2 overall had a quicker TT, Penix the following match got the ball out quicker on passes downfield, in 2.67 seconds in comparison to a flat 3. It may seem nitpicky, but the chess match feel of an NFL game is fast paced with every play containing so much value, and milliseconds can be the difference between a chunk play and a turnover worthy throw.
Throwing with anticipation requires comfort and trust in your teammates, and this is where the advantage of Penix Jr playing with Robinson and London for 3 years now comes into play. Chemistry leads to natural production, and a quarterback who’s even able to trust in players as talented as Bijan Robinson and Drake London all of a sudden changes how the Falcons offense can operate.
Its unlikely that they’ll look like this every week, but its fair to say that this was one of Atlanta’s best offensive performances in the post Matt Ryan era. Games where your star players are leaving fingerprints are always exciting not just for the fans, but for the morale of the locker room. Next week’s Monday Night matchup against the Saints just got a whole lot more interesting.