With Kirk Cousins scheduled to be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, it was an excellent, and somewhat rare, opportunity for a first-round quarterback like Michael Penix Jr. to get extensive action in the preseason.

Penix had a solid debut on Friday night against the Miami Dolphins, going 9 for 16 passing for 104 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He showed off the arm that made him a top-10 pick in April’s NFL Draft.

After the game, Penix was asked to self scout and give his thoughts on his performance.

“I feel like I did OK,” Penix said after the game. “You know, some things that you know definitely want to get better. I feel like I executed the offense the best that I could. I had one mistake. One mistake, the fans, they wouldn’t have noticed it, but in our offense, I know it.

“Other than that, you know, just trying to get points on the board. Whenever I was out there was able to get some points. We want to score every drive, we ended in field goal. I’m not sure how many times but you know I want to score. But it’s always room for improvement.”

Penix was pressed on the one mistake he made.

“I looked the wrong way on the play, but I found a check down,” Penix said with a grin.

Players are almost always asked about their first experience, when it felt real to them being on the field in an NFL uniform, but Penix took it all in stride.

“It was fun to be able to be out there compete, you know, with my brothers,” Penix said. “I’ve been having fun out there, just going out there, playing playing a game. I’ve been playing since I was 5 years old,” said Penix. “So no nerves, no jitters. Just ready to go.”

Penix was happy to see a different uniform out there. He thinks the familiarity of facing one’s own defense actually makes practices harder than having the element of surprise against an opponent.

“I always say the game is easier than practice.” Penix said. “I don’t know why; I think it’s because our defense sees our looks so many times, it’s harder to get completion against them. But in the game I feel like the routes be wide open and you know it be slower; it’s slower than practice.

“So I was good.”

Michael Penix Jr. was good in his debut for the Atlanta Falcons. He’s a tantalizing piece the Falcons plan to have in reserve the next-two seasons as long as Cousins performs to the level he’s accustomed to… and stays healthy.