The Atlanta Falcons will go against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon in a game that could push them above .500. The Falcons are coming off a 20-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, in which quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed 21 of 38 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. Late in the contest, he injured his knee after colliding with a defender, raising questions about his Week 8 availability.
Will Michael Penix Jr. Play in Week 8?
Penix is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a bone bruise in his knee, according to the team’s final injury report. Initially, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that Penix has said that he is confident he will play.
Coach Raheem Morris said both he and Penix remain optimistic, though a final decision could come as late as Saturday or game day. Veteran backup Kirk Cousins has taken additional first-team practice reps this week as a precaution.
However, on Saturday, NFL insider Adam Schefter confirmed that Penix is unlikely to play this week and Cousins will get an opportunity.
“Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is “highly likely” to start Sunday’s game vs. the Dolphins as Michael Penix recovers from a bone bruise to his knee,” Schefter wrote on X. “Penix was limited at practice all week and Cousins worked with the first-team offense, gearing up to start Sunday.”
According to the PFSN QB Impact metric, Penix is the 25th-ranked quarterback in the league with an impact score of 70.2 and is graded C-. He has started six games this season, throwing for 1,409 yards, five touchdowns, and one rushing score, while completing 61% of his passes.
Other Falcons Injury Updates
The Atlanta Falcons lost several cornerstone players for Week 8. Linebacker Divine Deablo (forearm) is out and may lose several weeks. Rookie defenders Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring) and Jalon Walker (groin) have also been ruled out after missing last week’s game.
A few other players remain on the fence, including running back Tyler Allgeier (hip/knee), who is questionable after being limited in practice. DL Zach Harrison (knee) is also questionable after missing multiple sessions, along with S Jordan Fuller (knee), who has returned from injured reserve and begun practicing.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Darnell Mooney (hamstring) and left tackle Jake Matthews (ankle) are both expected to play. Mooney, who has suffered through injuries throughout the year, is off the injury report.
The Falcons will release their list of inactives 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday.
