Falcons HC gives huge Michael Penix Jr. update for Patriots game

The Atlanta Falcons fell to 3-4 on the season when they suffered a 34-10 blowout loss to the lowly Miami Dolphins (2-6) this past Sunday. 

Veteran Kirk Cousins served as Atlanta's starting quarterback for that matchup because Michael Penix Jr. was sidelined with a knee issue. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris offered a positive update regarding Penix's availability for Atlanta's matchup at the New England Patriots (6-2) this coming Sunday. 

Michael Penix Jr. "feels better" after missing Dolphins game

"...He feels better than he did last week," Morris said about Penix, per Terrin Waack of the Falcons' website. "Obviously, he feels better than he did every single day with it being a bone bruise. That stuff gets better every day. So, I feel really good about him."

Cousins had an opportunity to use the Miami game as an audition amid his desire to find a new NFL home before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Instead, he completed 21-of-31 passes for 173 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in the lopsided contest. According to Chase Justice of WYFF News 4, Cousins accumulated 76 "garbage time" passing yards in the game's fourth quarter.

That said, Penix hasn't been elite when healthy throughout the season. Pro Football Reference stats show he ranks 21st in the NFL among qualified players with a 49.1 adjusted QBR and 25th with an 85.2 passer rating for the campaign. Over six games, he tossed five touchdown passes and three interceptions. 

Falcons not yet naming Michael Penix Jr. starter for Patriots game

"He'll go out there today and do a walkthrough," Morris added. "We'll get a chance to get a feel for what he can do in practice, if he can do anything. But obviously, we'll get to that right after this and find out what he's doing, how he can do it, and how he feels and all that type of stuff."

Shortly after Morris offered his update, ESPN BET had the Falcons as 5.5-point underdogs against a Patriots team that's in the middle of a five-game winning streak. Such a line suggests insiders believe either Penix or Cousins will be in for a rough outing at Gillette Stadium on the first Sunday of November.