The Athletic Football Show on Michael Penix Jr.

PodcastFalcons stomp Saints behind dominant run game, 45-24October 6, 2026

From the episode

On the game, even with a 50% play action rate, he averaged 2.57 average time to throw. They had four quarterback pressures the Saints did in this game because of what the Falcons' plan looks like and how the quarterback plays.

Mentioned at 0:12 – 0:33

STACKED’s take

Positive signalRole

Penix thrives in Reese's efficient, play-action-heavy scheme with minimal pressure.

Operating in a highly efficient offensive system under Tommy Reese that emphasizes play action (43% rate) and short, high-percentage throws. Penix had only 20 total pass attempts in the game, averaging 2.57 seconds to throw, and faced just four quarterback pressures from the Saints defense due to the Falcons' scheme design and efficient execution.