4 Biggest stories from Atlanta Falcons preseason loss to Ravens

1. Why did Raheem Morris bench Michael Penix Jr.?

The biggest story of Atlanta Falcons vs. Baltimore Ravens was the fact fans were forced to watch John Paddock and Taylor Heinicke. Kirk Cousins sitting didn't come as a surprise with the veteran quarterback not far removed from a torn Achilles.

Sitting Penix, however, was a bit surprising for a player unlikely to see many snaps over the next two years. One could argue that Penix would benefit from the reps and experience of even slow preseason reps.

The flip side of this is understanding the rookie's extensive injury history and the fact he isn't likely to start either of the next two years. How valuable can preseason reps be to a rookie two years away from starting? Protecting Penix from possible injury and keeping any quarterback debate quieted are both reasons to keep the rookie on the bench.

It speaks to what Raheem Morris believes about preseason reps and where they believe Penix is in his development. With how the head coach has managed each of the first two preseason games it is obvious that it is all about health and making it to the start of the season without risking any key players.