ATL Standard

When asked about the number of reps Michael Penix Jr. had with the starters, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris simply stated, "Not much."

Penix spent his first week as Atlanta's starting quarterback getting comfortable with top receivers like Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts. The adjustment is mutual, especially since Penix is a left-handed quarterback.

Mooney recalled playing with a left-handed quarterback in high school and sought to reacquaint himself with the experience. "Once I got the information, I called my high school quarterback," Mooney said. "I told him, 'Come to the house. We got to get the reps in so I can see this ball in the air.'"

Left-handed passes have a reversed rotation and feel different upon reception. Chris Blair, familiar with Penix from practice squad sessions, noted it took time to adjust to this change: "You have to lock in on the ball," Blair explained.

Falcons quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates has been coaching Penix since May and noted Penix's adaptability when Yates inadvertently referenced right-hand perspectives: "He's like, 'Yeah, gotcha. I've been dealing with this my whole life.'"

As they prepare for a game against the New York Giants, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson confirmed that their full playbook will be available for use by Penix. The rookie has been studying since minicamp.

Kirk Cousins and Penix share pocket-play capabilities; however, Penix may scramble more often but remains comfortable behind the line.

The Falcons ran approximately 70 plays during Wednesday's walk-throughs to bridge any gaps in preparation for Penix. London emphasized additional practice throws post-practice: "We got to do that in order to make him feel [comfortable] and to make us feel comfortable as well."

Defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake praised Penix's performance against defensive starters during training camp: "Me and Mike had a laugh about a few times," Lake recalled an instance where Penix successfully countered an exotic blitz.

Safety Jessie Bates III also shared positive impressions of facing Penix during practices: "Mike does a good job of picking it up and identifying what we're trying to do as a defense." Bates expressed confidence in Penix's readiness for his NFL debut on Sunday.

"I'm excited for his opportunity," Bates added. "I think he'll thrive in it."