Following a dominant performance in Week 2, the Atlanta Falcons had no shortage of momentum on their side. However, all of that momentum flew straight out of the window against the Panthers in Week 3 as Atlanta were shut out by their previously-winless division adversaries.
It was a disastrous offensive performance for the Dirty Birds, and it all started with the man under center. Against possibly the worst defense in the NFL, Michael Penix Jr did little to inspire confidence in the Falcons' embarrassing 30-0 defeat.
After Penix torched the Carolina defense in Week 18, Sunday afternoon told a vastly different story. The second-year starter went 18-of-36 for 172 passing yards and threw two interceptions—one of which was ran back for a touchdown by Chau Smith-Wade.
Things got so bad that he was benched for Kirk Cousins in the fourth quarter—and these are the key takeaways from his performance.
Zac Robinson has got to go
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson's play calling has been the subject of criticism among the fanbase—and Sunday only saw the noise grow louder. His play calling has been uninspired, predictable, and flat-out wasteful of Penix’s best trait—his rocket arm.
Against one of the softest defenses in football, Atlanta never threatened downfield and repeatedly sputtered on third down. And with Atlanta consistently struggling to get the play in on time, fans' perceptions of the second-year OC have seriously soured.
Last time Penix faced Carolina, he threw for a career-high 312 passing yards and totaled three touchdowns in an overtime loss. This time he couldn't even complete the game—while wasting another masterful performance from the Atlanta defense.
Atlanta needs more from their weapons
Bijan Robinson has been one of the best running backs in football in 2025, but hasn't received a lot of help. For the third consecutive game, the superstar running back surpassed 100 scrimmage yards with an 111-yard effort in Charlotte.
Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts combined for just 138 yards in Week 3, and London has yet to record over 55 yards in a game this season after amassing 1,271 receiving yards and nine scores in 2024.
None of the three have reached the end zone yet, and part of Atlanta's offensive struggles could be attributed to their connections with Penix failing—most notably with London.
The coaching staff has a decision on their hands
After Cousins replaced the former Heisman Trophy runner-up in the fourth quarter, it brought up an interesting debate: is Penix's job truly in jeopardy?
On paper, there’s no quarterback controversy—the Falcons drafted the former Washington star No. 8 overall to be their long-term answer at quarterback. But with Cousins still on the roster as one of the NFL’s most dependable backups, it’s impossible to ignore the noise if performances like Sunday continue.
In just his sixth career start, growing pains are expected from the Washington product, but at 25, he doesn't have as much leeway as other young QB's. Teams could come calling inquiring about the four-time Pro Bowler, but Terry Fontenot might be less inclined to pick up the phone if Penix's struggles continue.