Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said last week he didn’t want to chase rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., but with Atlanta fighting for a playoff spot, Morris has changed his mind. Penix will take over for struggling starter Kirk Cousins.
“After review we have made the decision that Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback going forward,” Morris said in a statement. “This was a football decision and we are completely focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”
Atlanta is a contender in the weak NFC South despite another lackluster performance from quarterback Cousins ​​that has led to the Falcons being the top rushing team.
An upset 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night left the Falcons 7-7 and one game behind Tampa Bay in the division.
The Falcons took advantage of the Buccaneers, leading Morris to say after the game “That’s where you want to be.”
Falcons beat Raiders 15-9, Should Atlanta bench Kirk Cousins? | Breakfast ball
The win came with Cousins ​​passing for just 112 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He gave a sad review of his exit when he said “I’m not where I want to be.”
Cousins ​​entered the game with no touchdown passes and eight interceptions in his last four games. He ended his scoring drought with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Drake London in the first quarter but couldn’t top it and added his league-best 16th touchdown.
The Raiders (2-12) are tied for the worst record in the league with the New York Giants, who bring a record nine-game losing streak to Atlanta on Sunday. The Falcons will then face a tough game at Washington (9-5) before closing their regular season at home against Carolina (3-11).
Penix appeared in only two games and did not play against Las Vegas.
Morris said last week that sticking with Cousins ​​”has nothing to do with disbelief” in Penix. “But he’s a rookie and we have a plan and we’ve had a plan from the beginning of how we want to use and be able to play our rookie when it’s time.”
Morris also said that some coaches “pull the trigger and put guys in there early and it’s gone bad, right? And I don’t want to be that guy.”
Cousins, 36, signed a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason before Penix was selected No. 8 in the NFL Draft. Morris says the Falcons have never wavered in their belief that Penix is ​​their starter of the future.
Now he has decided that the future is now.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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