Penix was a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice.
The Atlanta Falcons are dealing with a few notable injuries as they prepare for this Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is eyeing a return after missing Week 8 due to a bone bruise in his knee.
Kirk Cousins started in place of Penix against the Miami Dolphins, but the veteran quarterback was unable to provide a spark as the team managed to score just 10 points for the second game in a row. Penix appears to be on track to play in Week 9.
While the former top-10 pick was a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice, he sounded optimistic about his chances of suiting up on Sunday.
“I felt really good at practice today,” Penix told reporters on Wednesday. “After today, I feel like I’m trending in the right direction.”
Atlanta’s offense struggled to run the football against the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, which put extra pressure on the passing game to carry the load. Run-blocking has generally been a strong suit for this team, but the Falcons haven’t been able to open up holes in recent weeks.
Despite these struggles up front, Penix remains confident in his teammates to bounce back.
“I know my guys. I know they’re gonna be ready,” Penix said when asked about the offensive line’s recent performance.
Penix has started six games for the Falcons this season, passing for 1,409 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. If Penix gets the start on Sunday, he’ll face off against another top-10 pick from the 2024 draft class in Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
New England currently sits atop the AFC East with a 6-2 record. Sunday’s game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.