By Josh Kendall, Charlotte Carroll and Cale Clinton
The rookie debut of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. resulted in the most points for the Atlanta Falcons since October, handling business against the New York Giants in a 34-7 win at home.
Atlanta (8-7) keeps pace with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as its playoff hopes remain alive, while the Giants (2-13) lose a franchise-record 10 straight games.
Penix went 18-of-27 passing for 202 yards and an interception. The box score didn’t necessarily reflect the quality of game the rookie played. Falcons receivers were plagued by drops early, and Penix’s lone interception was caused by bobble by tight end Kyle Pitts.
The real star of the game in Atlanta was the defense. The Falcons defense recorded two interceptions for a touchdown for the first time since 1983 while posting its fourth straight game with multiple sacks.
Jessie Bates III jumped the route on a second-quarter Drew Lock pass to return it for a 55-yard touchdown. On the second play of the third quarter, Matthew Judon hauled in a pass tipped by Zach Harrison and took that one back to the house as well.
.@man_dammn pick six?!@man_dammn PICK SIX!!!
FOX | NFL+ #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/YqLty0uAQX
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 22, 2024
The Giants’ Malik Nabers set the team’s franchise record for receptions (92) on his first catch of the day, finishing the game with seven receptions for 68 yards. With 98 receptions, Nabers sits eight receptions away from breaking Puka Nacua’s rookie reception record (105) set in 2023.
Penix has clean first start
Penix Jr.’s NFL debut was marked mostly by efficiency. Falcons coaches cited turnovers as the main reason for inserting Penix in place of veteran Kirk Cousins, who had an NFL-high 16 interceptions through Week 15.
Penix showed off the lively arm and game management skills that convinced Atlanta to draft him with the No. 8 pick in April. His numbers would have been better if not for four dropped passes, one by Drake London in the end zone and another by Pitts that resulted in a Giants interception in the end zone.
Cousins gave Penix a supportive pat on the back as he jogged onto the field with the rookie, but mostly stayed out of the rookie’s way from there. Cousins, dressed out as Atlanta’s No. 2 quarterback, spent most of the afternoon on the sideline following the action and chatting with practice squad quarterback Nathan Peterman. Penix joined the pair on the sideline late in the game as the final minutes were ticking off the clock. — Josh Kendall, Falcons beat writer
Falcons defense comes up huge
The Falcons returned two interceptions for a touchdown in the same game for the first time since 1983. The first was of the traditional variety with Bates jumping in front of a Lock pass and racing 55 yards for a score. The second came when Judon had a pass batted by Harrison land in his arms and rumbled 27 yards for a score. It was the first touchdown of Judon’s nine-year career. For just the second time since at least 2000, Atlanta has registered more than one defensive score in a game, according to TruMedia. — Kendall
Giants’ QB woes continue
The Giants have been playing a game of musical chairs at quarterback because of injuries ever since benching Daniel Jones after the Week 11 bye. But with Lock back starting Sunday, nothing could go right for the Giants after a second-quarter touchdown drive. Lock went 22-of-39 passing for 210 yards, a touchdown and three total turnovers in Sunday’s loss. He threw two interceptions, added a fumble and got sacked three times. Lock has thrown four interceptions in his three starts this season. — Charlotte Carroll, Giants beat writer
Giants close to top draft pick
While the 10th straight loss might be painful now, that might be the best thing for New York going forward. The loss further cemented the Giants’ draft positioning with Tankathon currently slating them at No. 2 awaiting the result of the Las Vegas Raiders game. If the Giants pick up a win in their final two games, that will drastically hurt their No. 1 pick chances due to their strength of schedule so losing out is the most beneficial result for the future. — Carroll
Required reading
- NFL Week 16 scores and live updates: Playoff picture, standings, inactives, predictions, betting odds and more
- Is Michael Penix Jr. ready to be an NFL starter? Let’s revisit his college film
- Giants 2025: Free-agent targets include bridge QB, help for Dexter Lawrence, true No. 1 CB
- What’s next for Kirk Cousins? How the Falcons could move on and where the QB would fit best
(Photo: Brett Davis / Imagn Images)
