The Atlanta Falcons surprised many around the NFL with a 24-14 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.
But concern quickly shifted to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. after the game.
On Atlanta’s final drive, Penix appeared to be favoring his right arm — his non-throwing arm — while leading the Falcons on a key fourth-quarter possession.
“Penix’s right arm is hurt,” TSTV Sports’ Justin Goosman wrote on X. “Not sure if the broadcast has mentioned it, but it is clear his right arm is hurt. Penix is left-handed, but that’s not a good sign for next week.”
It’s unclear when the injury occurred, but the Falcons played conservatively to close out the 14-play, 68-yard drive. The possession ended with four consecutive running plays before kicker Parker Romo connected on a 33-yard field goal to put Atlanta ahead by 10.
The decision was part of a clock-management strategy to keep the ball out of Buffalo’s hands. However, once Penix reached the sideline, he was seen holding his right arm and later spoke with head coach Raheem Morris about the apparent injury.
The status of Penix’s arm will almost certainly be one of the first questions asked during the team’s postgame press conference.
Despite the concern, Penix delivered a solid performance, completing 20 of 32 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown.
The real story behind Atlanta’s win came on defense. The Falcons’ pass rush and secondary stifled Josh Allen, holding him to just 180 passing yards while intercepting him twice and sacking him four times for a loss of 23 yards.