Over the past day and a half, the NFL world has been reacting to the Atlanta Falcons benching starting quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Head coach Raheem Morris made the decision to sit Cousins in favor of the rookie, Michael Penix Jr., who will get his first start in Week 16 against the New York Giants. With the playoffs on the line, going with a rookie at a time like this seems like it could be a major risk.
When asked that very question by the media, following the decision to start Penix, Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson shot down the idea right away.
“Yeah, I don’t view it as a risk,” Robinson said.
The coach went on to talk about Penix's experience learning as a rookie while sitting and how he's not worried about the idea of this being a risk, because that's not what this is in his eyes.
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In a way, stating that this isn't a risk seems like a jab at Cousins, to be quite honest. Cousins is a quarterback that's played in this league for years, thrown for 4,000 yard seasons on several occasions and may still be the best option for this team, right now.
But, that's not how the coaching staff sees it. In their eyes, Penix gives the team a better chance to win. So, calling this anything but a "risk" certainly sounds like a knock on Cousins at this point. It wouldn't be surprising to see Cousins cut after just one season in Atlanta, based on the current happenings.
Zac Robinson's comments are an indication of the utmost faith in Michael Penix Jr.
Robinson spoke, at length, about his confidence in Penix and how capable he is of not only leading this offense but playing well in the process.
“I don’t think anybody’s going to have to say anything for Mike to be calm," Robinson said. "I mean, he is about as cool as they come. I’m sure there’s going to be great, good nervous energy that you get out, and once you start playing football, though, it’s going to feel just like he was at University of Washington, just like he was in high school."
Knowing that there are going to be some nerves, at the very least, Robinson acknowledged that this is, indeed, a bit of a risk. Whether or not he wants to admit it, starting a rookie at this very point in time is not a safe bet by any means. But, it shows the amount of faith this organization has in their first-round pick.
Atlanta basically put the fate of their franchise, this season, in a first-year pro. That's a tough call, but one that could pay dividends.
“And so I’m sure once he gets into it, the game will slow down for him and expect him to play great," Robinson finished.