Atlanta Falcons fans are fully bought in when it comes to believing Michael Penix Jr. will establish himself as a franchise quarterback. Three games were enough for many fans to believe in the ceiling of a player many pundits remain skeptical of. Still, the league's schedule release handed Penix the chance to leave no choice but to accept his ceiling as one of the best starters in the league. With five primetime matchups and the chance to face nearly every quarterback in his draft class, this is a golden opportunity for Penix.
Just in Atlanta's first six games of the season, Penix will face two division rivals and have the chance to duel with Jayden Daniels and Josh Allen. If Penix isn't who the fanbase believes the quarterback to be, this will be a brutal start to the 2025 season. However, the flip side of this is that the league has set Penix up to make an early statement about his standing in quarterback rankings. If the second-year quarterback is up for the task, he has the chance to quickly establish himself as one of the leauge's best.
Atlanta's tough early season slate serves as the perfect opportunity for Michael Penix Jr.
This is in no way to say Penix must beat Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels in Atlanta's early-season gauntlet. Rather, pointing out the reality of these featured matchups serves as a clear chance for the starter to make an early statement.
Atlanta has set Penix up well with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Darnell Mooney expected to be the quarterback's primary weapons. If there is one missing piece in the offense, it is depth at the receiver position. Still, this is a great group of skill players that gives the Atlanta offense the chance to lineup and beat anyone in the league.
Reasonable expectations for the Falcons in the first weeks of the season would be a 4-2 start. Wins against Minnesota, Carolina, and San Francisco should be the expectation while finding a way to beat at least one of Washington, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay. If Penix can do this while measuring up against these star quarterbacks, the Falcons have every reason to believe 2025 is finally the year the team's postseason drought will end.