"Did better than Kirk Cousins" - Falcons fans make feelings known on Michael Penix Jr.'s debut after replacing $180,000,000 QB

Michael Penix Jr. got his first start and win for the Falcons against the Giants after replacing Kirk Cousins as the starter. It was not a smooth introduction and he was indebted to his defense and Bijan Robinson to get a victory against the worst team in the league.

Atlanta recorded two defensive touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, whereas the quarterback finished with an interception without throwing for a score. Given Michael Penix Jr. replaced Kirk Cousins after the veteran's glut of picks in the last five games, the statistics did not show a noticeable improvement.

However, Falcons fans were convinced that the rookie looked better than the man he replaced and took to X/Twitter to make their point. Here are some of the comments from the social media platform.

Atlanta supporters also made a valid point that the interception should not count against the quarterback because it was down to Kyle Pitts' mistake. The tight end juggled a good throw from Penix after failing to cleanly catch the ball and that led to the Giants coming off with an interception instead of the Falcons getting a touchdown. Here are some more posts.

"For anyone who didn’t watch, that INT was from Kyle Pitts (bust) dropping a perfectly thrown ball. Penix played well." - said one.

"Kyle Pitts threw Penixs first int lol" - wrote another.

"Interception wasn’t his fault either. He played good" - concurred a third.

Michael Penix Jr. gets Kirk Cousins' support for Falcons debut against Giants

One thing that Michael Penix Jr. can definitely learn from Kirk Cousins is how to carry oneself professionally. The veteran showed grace in leading the rookie in a prayer before getting out of the tunnel. It was a poignant moment before the youngster's professional debut.

Michael Penix Jr. had a big job replacing Kirk Cousins, who has a contract worth $180 million and extensive experience in the league. With the Falcons still in playoff contention, getting a win was also vital. After the game was over, the rookie quarterback mentioned how his nerves were jangling. He said,

"My heart is beating out of my chest right now...I worked all my life to get to this point."

Given these circumstances, it was a solid performance from Penix. Getting Atlanta the win was also vital and now they move on to the final two weeks of the 2024 season with their new starter looking to create an instant legacy.