Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is nothing if not confident. Following the best start of Penix's young career, the Falcons will host the 4-1 Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in their most revealing test yet.
It won't come easy for the Dirty Birds on either side of the ball, but QB1 is feeling confident. Bills star defensive tackle Ed Oliver has missed the last four games with an ankle injury, and is expected to return in Week 6—but Penix said he wants Oliver to play to make things that much more challenging.
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. on Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver: "I hope he's healthy. If he plays, we're still going to play our football."
— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) October 9, 2025
The Bills' defense is one of the best units in the NFL, especially against young quarterbacks, but the second-year quarterback remains unfazed. He's not one from a challenge, which is how he took Kirk Cousins' job last season to begin with.
Michael Penix Jr. isn't worried about Ed Oliver's return
In Week 1 against the Ravens, Oliver recorded a sack, six tackles, three tackles for loss, and a game-saving forced fumble against Baltimore's Derrick Henry, which helped Buffalo come back and win 41-40.
According to ESPN analytics, the Bills rank 20th in the NFL with a 30% run stop win rate, and much of that decline traces back to life without their disruptive interior anchor.
For a Falcons team whose identity hinges on activity in the trenches, that matchup will be pivotal. Atlanta ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game as both Bijan Robinson have gotten off to a sizzling start in 2025—while Robinson is poised to make his second straight Pro Bowl this season.
Unfortunately, the offensive line hasn't held up as well against the run compared to the pass, as the team is 28th in run block win rate compared to seventh in pass block win rate.
The Bills are fresh off of a heartbreaking Week 5 loss to the Patriots on Sunday Night Football where their defensive implosion saw Drake Maye and New England hand them their first loss of the year.
However, Buffalo still boasts one of the NFL's most potent offenses, so fans will need to see more of the Penix they saw in Week 4 against the Commanders.
The rookie has quickly become the heartbeat of Raheem Morris’ vision in Atlanta — poised, unbothered, and ready for the moment. And come Monday night, under the bright lights, he’ll get his wish: a chance to prove that his confidence is authentic.