Falcons QB Penix says ribs ‘get better every day,’ plans to start vs. Bears
FLOWERY BRANCH — Three days after a rib injury forced him to miss overtime in the Falcons’ 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said he felt “good” after participating in Wednesday’s practice.
“They get better every day,” Penix said of his ribs. “I know I’m going to continue to feel good. I just got to stay on top of my rehab and just make sure I’m doing all the right things.”
As long as everything progresses as expected, coach Kevin Stefanski said Penix is trending toward starting under center when the Falcons (2-3) host the Chicago Bears (3-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
When he was asked whether he’s confident he’ll play this week, Penix said, “Yes.” He’s still battling marginal discomfort at times, but he was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice and he said he took all of the first-team reps.
“It’s not always comfortable, but I made every throw today,” Penix said. “So, you take with that what you want.”
Penix declined to specify whether he sustained bruised ribs, but he said his MRI and scans came back positive.
“We’re good, and I feel good to play this week,” Penix said. “So, that’s the plan.”
The Bears pose a significant challenge. Chicago’s defense ranks fifth in the NFL in scoring, allowing 19.2 points per game, and ninth in yards, giving up 311.4 per game. The unit has 12 sacks, good for No. 11 leaguewide.
Penix said he’s watched extensive film of the Bears’ defense, including some from last season, and walked away impressed.
“I feel like they have great players and also just outside of the players, I feel like their scheme is very good,” Penix said. “I feel like they do a great job with their scheme and how they attack offenses. So for us, we just have to make sure we go out there, take care of the ball, and just execute at a high level, execute when it’s needed the most. And we’ll be just fine.”
The Falcons’ mission remains to play their brand no matter the defense they’re facing, and having Penix, who’s helped the offense score on 17 of its 27 possessions since returning to action in Week 3, only helps.
Star running back Bijan Robinson said it’s a “blessing” to have Penix back on the field for Week 6.
“We got to take advantage of it and make sure we have a great week of execution,” Robinson said Wednesday, “so we go out there and play the ball that we all know how to play and everybody likes to watch us play.”