When thinking about the 2024 NFL quarterback class, most fans think of the holy trinity of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye. Even Bo Nix gets his fair share of shine, but nobody who isn't an Atlanta Falcons fan is talking about Michael Penix Jr.—and he proved they should be against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6.
The second-year quarterback went toe-to-toe with the reigning MVP and managed to out-shine him on a national stage. The Falcons prevailed 24-14, handing the Bills their second straight loss, but it also provided Penix with the biggest statement victory of his young career.
While Bijan Robinson was the star of the show, surpassing 200 scrimmage yards on the evening, Penix impressed as well. Against one of the NFL's best secondaries, he completed 20-of-32 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown—and came a half-yard away from a second score.
All questions Falcons fans have about Michael Penix Jr. have officially vanished
Similarly to his 313-yard masterclass in Week 4 against Washington, the catalyst behind his success was his connection with Drake London. London caught 10 passes for a season-high 158 yards and a touchdown against the NFL's second-best pass defense prior to Week 6
Josh Allen threw two interceptions against the Atlanta defense, but Penix had his first interception-less game since his last primetime game against the Vikings back in Week 2. While he's only thrown four touchdowns in five starts, the numbers don't tell the whole story.
Since offensive coordinator Zac Robinson moved from the booth to the sidelines, Penix has looked like a completely different player. The Falcons are running more pre-snap motions, and they're trusting their quarterback to air out the football.
The most impressive part of his evening was that the Dirty Birds were without both Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud, and Kyle Pitts had a mostly quiet night as well. It was trio of London, Penix, and Robinson that willed the Falcons to the team's most upset victory in years on Monday night.
Part of why Atlanta selected the Heisman Trophy runner-up No. 8 overall back in 2024 was not just because of his rocket arm, but his elite accuracy—and that skill was put on full display, even after Jake Matthews went down with an ankle injury.
Every game, Penix is taking another step forward. If Week 6 is any indication, he could blossom into a superstar far sooner than anyone expected — and Atlanta fans now have a legitimate reason to believe their young quarterback can lead this team back to the postseason.