Falcons head coach Raheem Morris wasn’t ready to commit to a starting quarterback at his Tuesday afternoon news conference.
It didn’t take him long after to make a decision. Hours later, the Falcons announced that rookie Michael Penix Jr. will take over at starting quarterback for Kirk Cousins. The No. 8 pick in April’s NFL Draft, Penix will make his debut as an NFL starter on Sunday against the Giants (2-12) in Atlanta.
“After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward,” Morris said, via a statement released by the Falcons. “This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”
Earlier Tuesday, Morris said this when asked if Cousins would start at on Sunday:
“We just got back, man,” Morris said via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “We’ve still got to go through all that process like we always do. Obviously getting back late last night, getting a big-time win.”
That was less than 24 hours after a tepid offensive performance in a close victory over a two-win Raiders team. But Morris alluded to his impending decision.
“It’s always going to be those question marks when it comes to head coach, when it comes to the quarterback,” Morris continued, per the Falcons’ team website. “And you got to be really transparent about it. We got to play better.”
Penix takes over with the Falcons fighting to make the playoffs at 7-7. They’re on the outside of the playoff picture looking in but have a shot to rally for a postseason berth with remaining games against the Giants, Commanders and Panthers.
Until Tuesday, Morris remained steadfast in his support for Cousins.
“Kirk’s our quarterback,” Morris said on Dec. 9 after a Week 14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. “Kirk is the guy that’s going to lead us.”
Cousins threw two interceptions and no touchdowns in that 42-21 road loss to his former team. The defeat to the Vikings capped Atlanta’s four-game losing streak that put them outside the NFC playoff picture.
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Then came Monday night’s game. The Falcons held on for a 15-9 win, but failed to secure the victory over a Raiders team with the worst record in the NFL until the game’s final snap. Atlanta’s offense scored just one touchdown despite starting most of its drives in premium field position on a night when the Falcons’ defense forced a fumble near midfield and their special teams blocked two punts.
Cousins was inaccurate on multiple throws downfield and struggled with mobility limitations that have plagued him since he suffered a torn Achilles tendon last season. He finished the night completing 11 of 17 passes for 112 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Barring an unexpected return to the field, Cousins finishes his first season with the Falcons having completed 66.9% of his passes for 7.7 yards per attempt and 250.6 yards per game with 18 touchdowns and an NFL-worst 16 interceptions through 14 games.
He joined the Falcons on a four-year, $180 million deal this offseason after playing six seasons with the Vikings. Two months after signing Cousins to that deal, Atlanta made a surprising decision to draft Penix eighth overall in April. Now the Falcons will get a chance to see if their highly drafted rookie will pay off.
Penix has limited reps in relief work and has completed 3 of 5 passes in two NFL appearances. He led one of college football’s most potent offensive attacks at Washington and will now have a chance to show how his talent translates to the NFL with the postseason at stake.
