Falcons' Michael Penix: Takes step back in Week 3 loss

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Penix completed 18 of 36 passes for 172 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions while adding two rushes for nine yards in the Falcons' 30-0 loss to the Panthers on Sunday.

Over his first five NFL starts, Penix hadn't come close to scuffling in the manner he did Sunday, and the fact the opponent was a Panthers squad that had struggled on defense over the first two games made his poor effort all the more alarming. Penix threw multiple interceptions for the first time as a pro, and he was under 200 passing yards for the second straight game. While the low passing volume was by design in a dominant Week 2 win over the Vikings, Sunday's downturn was directly correlated to how well the opposing defense stymied his efforts. Penix and the Falcons will welcome the Commanders for a Week 4 matchup next Sunday, a game that could pit the second-year signal caller against fellow 2024 first-rounder Jayden Daniels if the latter can play through his knee injury.