New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons Prediction and Preview in Michael Penix Jr’s Debut

For the first time since the team started 6-3, a palpable buzz of excitement exists around the Atlanta Falcons. Earlier this week, the team announced that it starting bench quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie signal caller Michael Penix Jr.

At 7-7, the team sits one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but holds the tiebreaker if they end up with identical records after sweeping the series with their division rival.

The New York Giants come to Georgia looking for a ray of sunshine, but expect the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium to be closed.

Big scene

Thrown into the fire with sky-high expectations, Michael Penix Jr. has playoff aspirations for his team. Kirk Cousins, barring injury, will not play another game for the Birds. In these circumstances, everything falls directly into Penix’s hands.

Luckily for Penix, the Falcons’ $90 million quarterback set the bar incredibly low during Atlanta’s 1-4 skid.

Take risks

Penix suffered four injury-plagued years at Indiana before playing with the Washington Huskies. Arm talent was never a question when the Falcons selected him 8th overall in April.

He throws a fantastic ball with touch, speed and precision. Additionally, he doesn’t possess the risk-averse approach to the quarterback position like his predecessor. For all his accuracy, Kirk Cousins ​​didn’t seem to enjoy challenging defenses vertically.

Zac Robinson will kick off the first plays of Michael Penix’s career. Similar to driving a sports car in a straight line, the best answer is the most obvious – Giants starting cornerback Deonte Banks gives up 74% completion and has allowed six touchdowns on a passer rating of 137.3 this season.

Prediction

It doesn’t matter if the Giants release Drew LockMaster Lock or the Loch Ness Monster, New York will struggle offensively. The Falcons, despite all their difficulties in the passing game, will, for the second consecutive game, repress the offense with a double on their third quarterback of the season.

Although many games end on paper, the Giants compete like the season is already over and just want to miss the metaphorical ground ball.

After some initial hassles and spills, Penix settles in and finds a rhythm. This will arguably help to have the best running back tandem in the NFL to lean on. Bijan Robinson is hot, and he’ll eclipse 100 yards from scrimmage and score a touchdown against the Giants.

New York could rely on its pass rush early in the season, but injuries have depleted that threat. However, Atlanta still needs to keep an eye on old friend Brian Burns. He had 4.5 sacks against the Falcons in 10 games with the Panthers.

Expect at least 275 yards and two touchdowns from Michael Penix as he settles in and finds a rhythm. Meanwhile, Malik Nabors catches seven passes, crossing the thousand-yard mark for the season. But Atlanta, suddenly lively, makes life miserable for the Giants.

Final score:
Falcons: 33
Giants: 19