Sunday's 30-0 loss vs. the Carolina Panthers was demoralizing for Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons. The second-year quarterback threw two interceptions and completed just 50% of his passes for 172 yards before being benched late in the game for veteran Kirk Cousins.
Now, does that mean that Kirk Cousins will take over as the Falcons' starter? Definitely not. On Wednesday, Falcons coach Raheem Morris made his stance unmistakably clear on Penix's role as the team's starting QB.
"Kirk lost his job last year. We’re not even close to that with Mike. He had a bad game," Morris said, dismissing any comparison between Penix and Cousins.
On Sunday, following the game, Morris explained his decision to bench Penix and put Cousins into the matchup.
"The game was out of hand," Morris said. "You know you move on, keep him [Penix] out of harm's way. Keep our guys out of harm's way."
The Falcons will look to regroup as they prepare for their Week 4 home game against the Washington Commanders.