Michael Penix Jr. had a brutal performance to forget following the Atlanta Falcons' 16-0 shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.
Penix is halfway through the third season of his NFL career with the Falcons. Injuries and inconsistent play have limited his production on the field, but he has showed his potential as a dynamic quarterback when healthy.
However, the Week 8 contest wasn't one of those games for him. Severe weather conditions impacted how both teams played throughout the day, especially Penix. He only completed eight out of 24 passes for 125 yards and four interceptions while rushing five times for 11 yards. These numbers were so negative that his quarterback rating was worse than Baker Mayfield's, who only attempted three passes.
“Baker Mayfield didn't complete a pass today, and had a higher passer rating (39.6) than Michael Penix (12),” reporter Lindsay Rhodes wrote.
How Michael Penix Jr., Falcons played against Buccaneers
Michael Penix Jr. knows that he isn't fully at fault for his performance given the weather conditions. However, he will have to move on from this game as soon as possible to get Atlanta's offense back on track after losing to the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay mainly relied on three field goals throughout the game. They got the only touchdown of the day in the third quarter, seeing the running backs shine as the top offensive players of the contest.
Article Continues BelowBijan Robinson was the lone bright spot in Atlanta's offense. He racked up 19 carries for 76 yards throughout the day. Meanwhile, Jahan Dotson caught two passes for 95 yards to lead all receivers.
Atlanta fell to a 3-5 record this season, sitting at third place in the NFC South Division standings. They are above the New Orleans Saints while trailing the Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers.
The Falcons will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 as kickoff commences on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. ET.