It's still early, but Atlanta Falcons fans have a right to be concerned after what they saw from quarterback Michael Penix Jr. last week against the Carolina Panthers. By most accounts, the Falcons should have won that game handedly, yet they were completely embarrassed by a score of 30-0.
We'll get into Penix's performance in that game and so far this season, but when asked about his quarterback situation in reference to Kirk Cousins potentially taking over, head coach Raheem Morris didn't back down.
"Kirk lost his job last year. We're not even close to that with Mike. He had a bad game," Morris told the media on Wednesday.
Yikes, that's one way to put it ... quite the dose of reality for Cousins straight from his coach's lips.
The Falcons aren't close to giving Kirk Cousins another shot at the starting job
There are so many layers to this and plenty to be said. But, the fact is, Penix has not impressed. What's very alarming, too, is just how efficient the offensive line has been in terms of protecting Penix.
Penix averaged a measly 4.8 yards per attempt against the Panthers. That's atrocious. But, after Cousins came in late in the game, the veteran didn't do much better in limited snaps. Cousins only posted an average of 4.1 yards per attempt.
There are some who might question Zac Robinson's ability to be a legitimate offensive coordinator and play caller, and those concerns are valid. But, what's pretty clear is the fact that Penix has been less than desirable.
Cousins, on the other hand, might still be able to play good enough for the Falcons to win. Last season, when he lost his job, many didn't even realize Cousins wasn't fully healthy and had been dealing with a shoulder/elbow injury later in the year. Maybe, just maybe, Cousins still has the ability to play at a high level.
At this point, we likely won't know for a while, though. Morris seems to be completely sold on Penix as the team's starting quarterback and isn't moving off of him this quickly.
One thing is clear. Penix needs to play better. His QBR of 47.9 ranks 20th in the league and he has failed to throw a touchdown in two-straight games. His yards per attempt and completion percentage have both continued to go down in all three games.
Will Morris ever consider Cousins' return to be the starting quarterback? We'll have to wait and see.