Michael Penix completed 8-of-24 passes for 125 yards and four interceptions in the Falcons’ 16-0, Week 8 loss to the Bucs.
Penix got off to a poor start and his play spiraled from there. He threw a pass directly at Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone’s chest on the first play of Atlanta’s second drive for an easy interception. Anzalone then took the ball away two Penix throws later by, again, simply standing in the throwing lane. Penix wasn’t seeing the field and nothing changed as the game went on. He threw two more interceptions and had several other passes that could have been caught by the Bucs. Even his best play, a 76-yard toss to Jahan Dotson, was a throw into double coverage where two Bucs defensive backs collided, leaving Dotson wide open at the last second. This looked like an homage to Cooper Rush’s two catastrophic starts to open the season. Penix should rebound in Week 9 versus the Bengals, but his fantasy stock is undoubtedly on the decline. He is shuffling to the back of the QB2 ranks for Week 9.
