ATLANTA (AP) β Michael Penix Jr. knows the Atlanta Falcons can’t control their playoff hopes when they close their regular season Sunday against Carolina.
That control disappeared with last week’sΒ 30-24 overtime lossΒ at Washington.
Penix, Atlanta’s rookie quarterback, can’t worry about NFC South-leading Tampa Bay’s game against New Orleans on Sunday. If the Buccaneers win, they clinch the division and end the Falcons’ hopes of making their first playoff appearance since 2017.
For the Falcons, a win by Tampa Bay would be bad. Even worse, however, would be having the Buccaneers lose while Atlanta falls at home to Carolina. So Penix knows he must focus on the Panthers in his third NFL start.
Penix isn’t banking on the Panthers’Β lopsided 48-14 lossΒ at Tampa Bay last week as evidence the Falcons can expect to beat Carolina.
“I mean, itβs the NFL,β Penix said. “I always say that you canβt overlook them. … As far as we know, we still (are) in it, so weβve got to continue to play hard and come in with the right mindset this week.β
The Falcons (8-8) are looking to complete a sweep of their season series with the Panthers (4-12). Bijan Robinson ran for two touchdowns in aΒ 38-20 winΒ at Carolina on Oct. 13.
Despite last week’s ugly loss, quarterbackΒ Bryce YoungΒ has shown improvement in his return as Carolina’s starter. Young has completed 60.4% of his passes (172 of 285) since being restored as the starter in Week 8 against Denver. He has passed for 12 touchdowns with six interceptions.
Young passed for two touchdowns and ran for a score in aΒ 36-30 overtime winΒ over Arizona two weeks ago.
Panthers coach Dave Canales says he has been impressed by his team’s spirit even while losing five of its last six games.
βThe fight β Iβve just loved every minute of this team,β Canales said. βRegardless of the outcome of the games, the fight in this team to just continue to play for pride, for each other, it means something to them.β
Penix’s poise impresses
Penix took over Atlanta’s offense when veteranΒ Kirk Cousins was benchedΒ on Dec. 17. Penix is 1-1 in his first two starts. Though he has passed for only one touchdown with two interceptions, he has impressed coach Raheem Morris with his composure, completing two fourth-down passes to force overtime last week at Washington.
βYou talk about this kid and you talk about the poise,β Morris said. βIt was almost waiting to celebrate for him that heβs going to get it done because you kind of felt so confident in him being able to do it. And to a fault, probably overconfident with the kid because heβs so good and heβs so talented. He can do anything.β
Young under pressure
Donβt be surprised if the Falcons bring the pressure against Young.
The Buccaneers pressured Young 68.6% of the time on pass plays, which was the highest pressure rate faced by any NFL QB in a game this season, according to Next Gen Stats. He was sacked five times.
Canales said Young did a good job of handling the pressure.
βHe was a stud about it. He just kept battling,β Canales said, adding that Young “just stood in there, and he kept operating, which is what I was proud of again, to be able to just keep hunting and trying to find opportunities down the field.β
The Falcons’ pass rush has enjoyed a late-season surge with at least three sacks in each of the last five games, including five last week against Washington.
Scoreboard watching
Morris says the Falcons will βdefinitely play the βifβ gameβ by having interest in Tampa Bay’s score against New Orleans as the games will be played at the same time.
But Morris says the Falcons must keep their focus.
βIt comes to a certain point where the βifβ game has to end and you have to go out there and establish your business and go out there and find a way to win this football game,β Morris said.
Sanders to return?
The Panthers have placed three running backs on injured reserve this season, including 1,100-yard rusher Chuba Hubbard before to last weekβs game against Tampa Bay.
Raheem Blackshear was ineffective in a fill-in role against the Bucs. The backfield could be getting some help this week the potential return of veteran Miles Sanders from IR. Sanders returned to practice this week and is expected to play for the first time since Nov. 10.
Panthers aim for good finish
The Panthers have long been eliminated from playoff contention, but Canales doesnβt just want his team simply playing out the string.
He said the final game is about βfinishingβ and “finding our style of play.β
βThatβs the challenge that we have right in front of us, is can we refocus one more time?” Canales said.
