Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Are Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.'s road woes concerning?

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 11:55 PM ET

Atlanta Falcons second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has shown signs of success early in his career. That success has not, however, come away from his home stadium.

Falcons' Michael Penix Jr. struggles in road games

Atlanta's 20-10 loss against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday dropped Penix to 0-3 away from home in his short career. In those three games, Atlanta has totaled 34 points, an average of just 11.3 points per game.

The most passing yards Penix has accumulated in those three games were his 241 on Sunday night against San Francisco. However, he had one fumble against the 49ers.

Michael Penix Jr. has a nice arm - he can really spin it. But I'm just not seeing the consistent accuracy and big-down throws. Not yet.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 20, 2025

The road ahead for Penix Jr. and the Falcons

Penix and Atlanta have just three of their remaining 10 games outdoors, and two of those three feel like extremely winnable games. The Falcons will travel to Foxborough in Week 9 to match up against the New England Patriots.

After that, it's not again until Week 13 against the New York Jets that Atlanta plays outdoors. The final outdoor game of the season will come in a Week 15 showdown against the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The games against New England and New York are games that will be crucial to the success of Atlanta's season. Losses in those as well as the Buccaneers game may lead to uncomfortable conversations surrounding Penix's ability to play outdoors.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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