Following a pitiful performance in Week 3, all of the momentum surrounding Michael Penix Jr and the Atlanta Falcons vanished. A 30-0 drubbing in Carolina saw the pressure multiply for Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, but luckily Week 4 served as the bounce-back campaign fans were hoping for.
The Dirty Birds downed the Washington Commanders 34-27 behind the offense's best game of the season. Bijan Robinson tallied a career-high 181 scrimmage yards, Drake London logged his first 100-yard game of the season, and Kyle Pitts scored his first touchdown of the season—but it all started under center.
Penix encored the worst start of his NFL career with possibly his best. The 25-year-old threw for a career-high 313 yards and two touchdowns while Robinson's move to the sideline paid massive dividends for the offense as a whole. After a shaky start to 2025, he finally looked looked like the signal-caller Terry Fontenot selected No. 8 overall back in 2024—and here are the notable takeaways.
3 takeaways from Michael Penix Jr's sensational Week 4 against the Commanders
1. The Michael Penix-Drake London connection is back.
The biggest concern in Atlanta throughout the first two weeks was the lack of synergy between Penix and London. The pair connected for 187 yards against the Panthers back in Week 18 of last season, but have struggled to recapture that rapport in 2025.
Prior to Week 4, the USC product had yet to surpass over 55 receiving yards in a game this season. However, his emergence proved to be the X-Factor against Washington, as he hauled in eight passes for 110 yards and his first touchdown of the season on Sunday and caught a 43-yard dime from Penix.
Penix goes deep to London for the big pickup!
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
WASvsATL on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/Axai2Dsb4Q
While Darnell Mooney was still quiet, it was an encouraging sign to see the chemistry between QB1 and WR1 torch the Commanders' secondary—especially for fantasy football managers.
2. The play-calling looked vastly improved
Fans were calling for Robinson's job before the week, with some going as far to admit they hoped the offensive coordinator would depart for the head coaching vacancy at his alma mater, Oklahoma State. But the 38-year-old just proved why he was a hot commodity in NFL coaching circles.
Robinson finally started playing to Penix's strengths, dialing up deep balls and downfield shots more consistently than in the first three weeks. While it helped that the run game returned to form today, Penix got into a rhythm early because he was doing what he does best—airing the ball out to his playmakers.
The best news is that Penix effectively silenced all calls for Kirk Cousins in Week 4.
3. Decision-making is still a concern
Penix's 126.0 passer rating marked a career-high, and it's no surprise why. He looked locked in from the opening drive, but a costly interception was the lone red flag in what was otherwise a fantastic day.
A third-quarter pass intended for London was picked off by Commanders DB Mike Sainristil—the same cornerback who returned a Penix interception for a touchdown back in the national championship a few years back.
Mike Sainristil picked off Michael Penix.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 28, 2025
We’ve heard that before pic.twitter.com/mItGVnkyRZ
The Washington product made a questionable read, which led to him feeling some deja vu from his college days. Luckily, this is the only concern in a day full of promise for the former Heisman Trophy runner-up, so I'm just nitpicking.