ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is well aware his team won’t be in complete control of its playoff hopes when it closes the regular season with Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers, an NFC South Division matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
That advantage disappeared with last Sunday night’s 30-24 overtime road loss to the NFC East’s Washington Commanders, who clinched a playoff spot with that victory.
Penix, who was selected No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL draft and took over as Atlanta’s starter two weeks ago, and his teammates can’t worry about the game between the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) and the visiting New Orleans Saints (5-11) on Sunday. Like the Carolina at Atlanta matchup, it’s set for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
If the Bucs win, they will clinch their fourth straight NFC South title — despite Atlanta sweeping the home-and-home regular-season series with Tampa Bay — and end the Falcons’ hopes of making their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.
For the Falcons, a win by Tampa Bay would be bad, but even worse would be having the Bucs lose while Atlanta (8-8) falls to Carolina (4-12), so Penix knows he must focus on the Panthers in his third NFL start. And he isn’t banking on Carolina’s lopsided 48-14 loss at Tampa Bay last weekend as evidence the Falcons can expect to beat the Panthers.