Atlanta Falcons' QB Michael Penix Jr. is considered day-to-day with a bone bruise in his foot, and the terrible offensive line play in the Niners game is a big reason as to why he both struggled and went down.
When kept clean, Penix looked sharp going, 21 of 29 for 242 yards and a touchdown to Bijan Robinson. But when pressured, things were different…
From ESPN Research: The 49ers pressured Michael Penix on a season-high 34% of his dropbacks. Penix finished 1-of-10 for 9 yards while under duress, including two sacks. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 20, 2025
This was supposed to be a statement game for a rising team trying to prove it belonged in the NFC playoff picture. Instead, the Falcons looked outmatched in every way at the line of scrimmage—and San Francisco's defense was missing both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
Late in the first half, Penix had the Falcons driving after two of his best throws of the night. Then came the defining sequence. Under pressure again, he tried to throw the ball away but never left the tackle box.
Intentional grounding. Ten-second runoff. Half over.
It was a mistake from a quarterback who looked increasingly flustered, and a symptom of what happens when constant pressure forces bad habits.
By the fourth quarter, Penix was getting hit on almost every drop-back. His footwork got jittery, his timing eroded, and his trust in the line vanished.
The result was a 20-10 loss that felt worse than the score indicated. Bijan Robinson (arguably the best player in the entire NFL) finished with just 40 rushing yards as the Falcons averaged only 3.1 yards per carry.
The Falcons' offensive line is making Michael Penix Jr.'s life even harder
Elijah Wilkinson was beaten repeatedly. Jake Matthews, fighting through an ankle issue, struggled to anchor. The interior line was overwhelmed by stunts and delayed pressures. It was, by all accounts, the Falcons’ worst offensive line performance of the year.
And while the group had been quietly solid through six weeks, this game showed what happens when they face a front that doesn’t back down. Every flaw from communication to leverage was exposed.
Storm Norton’s pending return could shake up the rotation, and at this point, it has to. Wilkinson’s struggles are glaring, and the line can’t afford another breakdown like this.
Because now, there’s tape and a clear game plan for opposing defenses. Pressure Penix, and Atlanta's offense will fold.
Atlanta’s line needs to protect its quarterback, reestablish the run game, and remind everyone why this team was viewed as a potential NFC riser just two weeks ago.
Because if the Dirty Birds can’t dominate a 1-6 Dolphins team in the trenches next week, it’ll be a warning sign that this team isn’t ready to compete.