Make no mistake about it, Michael Penix Jr. is the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback. As long as he's healthy, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. But with him expected to miss Week 8, Kirk Cousins will draw his first start since Week 15 of 2024.
Nevertheless, if Cousins goes out there and balls out against a struggling Miami Dolphins defense, much of the fanbase will jump on his bandwagon—especially with the trade deadline around the corner.
If he doesn't, there is a ripple effect when it comes to his trade value. Suddenly, teams will be less willing to trade for him with the trade deadline quickly approaching. Or, at worst, the franchise has no one to rely on if Penix Jr. misses more time.
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There is simply no situation where the Falcons benefit against Miami, assuming Cousins does make the start.
Falcons are set up for disaster with Kirk Cousins set to start in Week 8
NFL coaches deny that the media impacts the locker room. But while they can say that, it is most certainly not true, unless they completely ban their players from having a smartphone.
There will be no shortage of talk about Cousins continuing as the Dirty Birds' starting quarterback after a rocky start to Penix Jr.'s first season as a starter. That talk will penetrate the locker room, potentially creating a subtle divide amongst the players.
And a quarterback controversy is the last thing this team needs as they prepare for games against the surging New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts in the next two weeks.
Assuming the Falcons still pull off a win against their former assistant coach, Mike McDaniel, could an average game by Cousins be the best possible outcome for the franchise?
The answer to this is "yes." The last thing they want is reporters and armchair quarterbacks talking about how the team is insane for going back to Penix Jr. as their starter. At least an average game by the veteran will make the switch back to the starter seem less like a free fall.
And as a PSA, Penix Jr. will be fine. This season, he has been held back by a poor offensive scheme and middling wide receiver play outside Drake London. Not to mention, he is essentially a rookie and should be given grace.
With that out of the way, the Falcons don't want to lose all trade value for the 37-year-old. In a perfect world, they can land draft picks for what has turned out to be a horrendous free agent signing from last year.
That said, it is reasonable to think, at this point, that he isn't headed anywhere. He will likely remain in red and black as he heads toward being released in the offseason.
But it is safe to say that Penix Jr.'s bone bruise was the worst thing that could have happened to this coaching staff and franchise. They don't want people questioning their decision to revert to their first-round pick, but there is nothing they can do about it now.