When the NFL released their 2024 schedule back in May, the Week 17 matchup between the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons was circled as another reunion between veteran Kirk Cousins, who had signed with Falcons in March, and the team that drafted him.
It still will be, but Cousins won’t be the one lining up under center for the Falcons when the two teams clash on Sunday Night Football.
In a rare moved for a team vying for a playoff spot this late in the season, the Falcons benched Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., who was taken with the No. 8 overall pick but not expected to be in a position to play for at least another year. Penix is now in position to help the Falcons take the NFC South crown this season but will likely need to win out to do so.
Even with a small sample size, Penix provides the Commanders with another wrinkle to account for in what will be a pivotal game for them as well.
“Going into the whole process, you knew this was a talented guy,” coach Dan Quinn said of Penix. “He could deliver, he could process quickly. And so, his way of playing is different than our way of playing where we moved Jayden a lot to do that.”