MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Falcons took a peek into the future.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was taken with the eighth overall pick in the draft and dubbed as the heir-apparent to Kirk Cousins, had a solid NFL debut on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Dolphins, with both teams playing reserves, prevailed 20-13 in the exhibition opener.
“It was fun to be able to be out there and compete with my brothers,” Penix said. “Just having fun out there playing the game that I’ve been playing since I was five years old. No nerves. No jitters. I was just ready to go.”
Penix flashed the big passing arm that led the Falcons to draft him out of Washington even after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Penix tossed a pretty deep pass to wide receiver Chris Blair for a 41-yard gain, but became a little erratic after taking a couple of hits.
On an earlier play, he found wide receiver Casey Washington over the middle after his first option was taken away. He flicked the ball to Washington for a 16-yard gain and avoided a sack.
He played for five offensive series and guided the Falcons to a field goal and a touchdown. The score was 10-10 when he exited. Taylor Heinicke came on and fumbled a snap from center that led to a Miami touchdown.
Penix completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards. He finished with a passer rating of 76.
“I felt really good about Michael,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “He wants one of those throws back. That out that he threw on the sidelines, but he was able to go through some progressions really (efficiently).”
Penix was playing behind the second-team offensive line which included left tackle Julie’n Davenport, left guard Kyle Hinton, center Jovaughn Gwyn, right guard Andrew Stueber and right tackle Storm Norton.
Heinicke completed 4 of 11 passes for 11 yards before being replaced by Nathan Rourke in the fourth quarter.
“We get a little pass happy with him obviously with him being your first-round quarterback,” Morris said. “It was fun to see him go out there and execute some of the pass plays and be able to get some of the stuff done. Really lead the offense. Get them in and out of the huddle.
“Pretty good night for him. I was pleased with what he was able to do.”
Here are five things we learned from the game:
1. Kevin King shaking off the rust: Cornerback Kevin King played five seasons with the Packers, but hasn’t played the past two seasons.
King, 29, started for the Falcons and had an interception in the first quarter. He nearly had another interception in the second quarter.
King, 6-foot and 200 pounds, was a former second-round pick (33rd overall) of the Packers in 2017 draft after playing at Washington.
King has played in 51 NFL games and made 42 starts. He has 197 tackles and seven interceptions.
He has not played in the NFL since the 2021 season.
King had a rough ending to his injury-plagued stay in Green Bay. He had missed 29 of a possible 80 games because of injury.
King elected to sit out the 2022 season to get healthy, but he suffered an Achilles injury that forced him to miss the 2023 season.
King is working with Falcons assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray, who was with the Packers in 2020 and 2021 before joining the Falcons in 2022. Also, King played at Washington from 2013-2016 when Falcons’ defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake was the defensive backs coach (2014-15) and co-defensive coordinator (2016).
The Falcons are looking for cornerback help opposite of A.J. Terrell. Mike Hughes has been working with the first-team defense and Dee Alford working as the nickel back.
2. Kickoff rule: The Falcons and the Dolphins took two different approaches to the new rule.
The Falcons tried to kick the ball deep while the Dolphins squibbed the ball and tried to make the Falcons’ returner waste time picking up the ball.
Neither team was able to break any big returns.
Micah Abernathy and Carlos Washington Jr. were back deep for the Falcons. Washington was the returner with Abernathy serving as the lead blocker.
3. Wide receivers step up: With Rondale Moore (right knee) placed on injured reserve, the Falcons needed a receiver step forward.
Penix threw his first two passes to Washington, who was drafted in the sixth round out of Illinois. He caught the first pass for a 6-yard gain. The second pass was incomplete.
Penix’s third pass went to wide receiver Chris Blair, who made the catch and then fumbled.
Blair later broke loose for a long-gainer and Washington got open over the middle.
4. Injury report: Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams suffered an injury to his left leg early in the first quarter.
The Dolphins, on their second play from scrimmage, completed a pass out on the right side of the Falcons’ defense. Hellams was making his way out toward Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft when he went to the turf.
Members of the Falcons’ training staff tended to Hellams before a brace was placed on his left leg. He was carted to the locker room.
Hellams, who was a seventh-round pick out of Alabama in the 2023 draft, ended last season as a starter.
Late in the second quarter, rookie outside linebacker Bralen Trice went down and was checked on by the trainers. He was helped off the field.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
5. 22 players scratched: Most of the expected starters on offense and defense were did not dress for the game.
On offense, these players did not suit up: wide receivers Darnell Mooney, Drake London and Ray-Ray McCloud, running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts, quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Tyler Allgeier, right guard Chris Lindstrom, left guard Matthew Bergeron, center Drew Dalman, left tackle Jake Matthews and right tackle Kaleb McGary and tight end Charlie Woerner.
Defensive players who were essentially declared inactive were Terrell, Hughes, Alford, safety Jessie Bates III, linebacker Troy Andersen, linebacker Nate Landman, linebacker Kaden Elliss, defensive tackle David Onyemata and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.
The Bow Tie Chronicles
About the Author
