A week ago, the Atlanta Falcons were embarrassed on their own field, shut out 30-0 by the division rival Carolina Panthers in what head coach Raheem Morris called one of the ugliest efforts he had ever been part of.
On Sunday, the Falcons responded the only way they could: by fighting back.
Atlanta downed the Washington Commanders 34-27, a much-needed victory that pushed the team to 2-2 heading into its bye week. For Morris, the win was more than just a step back toward respectability. It was personal.
“[Wins] always big, but when you’re talking about coming off the nasty, disgusting taste that we left out there for ourselves … that was our apology to our fans today,” Morris said after the game.
Michael Penix Jr. powered the Falcons' response in Week 4
The Falcons offense, which had been lifeless in the shutout loss to Carolina, finally showed signs of life. Bijan Robinson delivered the kind of performance Atlanta drafted him for, piling up a career high 181 yards from scrimmage and providing steady explosiveness throughout the afternoon.
But the big story was quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Just seven days after posting the worst outing of his young NFL career and getting flamed for it, the rookie quarterback bounced back. He completed 20 of 26 passes for a career high 313 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Penix found wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts for touchdown passes, breaking through a strange early-season drought in which no Falcons pass-catcher had found the end zone.
“I think what happened today and the bounce-back that happened today is just me continuing to believe in myself and my teammates and believe in God that I deserve to be here,” Penix said.
Atlanta’s offensive turnaround didn’t happen by accident. Following the Panthers game, the Falcons fired wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson also shifted from the booth to the sideline, giving him a more direct line of communication with his quarterback.
The changes seemed to pay off. While the Commanders were missing key players—bothsecond-year quarterback Jayden Daniels and star wideout Terry McLaurin were sidelined— Atlanta’s execution was sharper than it had been in any game this season.
Atlanta now heads into the bye week at 2-2. It's not perfect, but far better than where it seemed the season was heading after the Panthers rout. Whether the Falcons’ “apology” is truly accepted will depend on what happens next, with a brutal stretch of games waiting after the break.