FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — For virtually all of Thursday's practice, the Atlanta Falcons' fifth open session of AT&T Training Camp, Michael Penix Jr. was on point.
Whether it was a rope to KhaDarel Hodge in the back of the end zone during a red-zone rep, or nailing Drake London on a precise comeback route against A.J. Terrell, Penix was decisive and effective at the helm of Atlanta's offense. Thursday's performance was an encouraging sign for an offense with lofty internal expectations.
"We should be the best in the league," Penix said after the team's first open practice of camp. "With the guys we have around us; we've got a great offensive line as well. Those guys work extremely hard in the trenches with Coach (Dwayne) Ledford out there leading those guys, doing a great job. With those guys, we should be unstoppable. That's our goal. We want to be No. 1 in all the categories on the offensive side of the ball."
Those are strong statements from a second-year player, but the Falcons have the pieces to make a serious push for that goal — especially if Penix gets into the flow like he did during the latest day of training camp. However, for all that he did right on Thursday — such as taking the ball himself for what looked like a score on a rollout to the left or delivering a perfect ball in-stride to Ray-Ray McCloud over the middle to beat a diving Billy Bowman Jr. — there was one moment that stood above all others. It was the lone instance when things went completely wrong.
After connecting on the first four passes of a late team period, including three to London, Penix had another good ball broken up on a well-timed move by Natrone Brooks. He responded with the aforementioned dot to McCloud over the middle, putting the Falcons in an excellent spot to throw it into the end zone. On the next play, Penix looked to his favorite target of the series and lofted a jump ball towards the right side of the end zone for London, who was covered by the 5-foot-11 Brooks. It was an excellent matchup for the offense and a good decision by Penix. However, the second-year quarterback faltered in his execution and the ball fell short of its desired location and right into the hands of Brooks.
The interception isn't the moment that matters, though. It's what immediately followed that provided a fascinating insight into the type of competitor Penix truly is.
He immediately slammed his helmet in frustration after the play — a rare outburst from the oft-composed quarterback. But like a dormant volcano erupting in a brief blaze, it served as a reminder of the fire simmering under his cool demeanor. He then found a spot on the field where he could reflect in solitude. And there he crouched for roughly 15 minutes while Atlanta switched to a special teams period. Though he remained still, there was an apparent intensity emanating from him.
"Even if Ray-Ray catches a ball he's worrying about, 'Oh, I didn't put it on your front shoulder' or something like that," London said after practice. "That's the type of quarterback he is, and he's going to make sure he puts it in that perfect place every time."
Penix was having a near-perfect day, but one mistake, albeit a big one, drew that reaction. Some of the greatest players in the game's history have been driven not by the thrill of success but by avoiding the agony of defeat at all cost. Put simply, they hate to lose. Penix's actions suggest a similar mindset.
Since his arrival, Penix has preferred to let his actions do the talking. On Thursday, his actions spoke volumes about his competitive makeup.
Open practice count: 5 of 11 | See all dates
Most notable player: Drake London. For as solid as Penix was on Thursday, London was even better. His comeback against Terrell on the right sideline during a team period was flawless, leaving the star corner to only shake his head afterwards. London also had a quintessential acrobatic catch against Dee Alford on a rep where he lined up in a tight formation. He ran a quick fade, gained outside leverage on Alford and then leapt away from the defender while pirouetting back to the quarterback to high-point the ball. London is poised to continue his ascent in Year 4.
Say what now: "Mike Ekeler from Tennessee recruited me. He coached Leonard at Georgia. So, I've been hearing that since I've been recruited for college: 'Leonard Floyd. Leonard Floyd.' The chance that God lined it up for me to be able to play with him his first year here, my first year here is just incredible." - James Pearce Jr. on his strong relationship with veteran edge rusher Leonard Floyd.
Song of the day: "Wanna Be A Baller" by Lil' Troy (1999). More Impalas need 20-inch blades on them.
Roll call: Cornerback Keith Taylor was not seen at practice for the second straight day. Rookie Jalon Walker participated in individual drills but was held out of team sessions due to a minor hamstring injury. Head coach Raheem Morris explained before practice that Walker has been pushing to return to the field and that the team is being cautious with him.
General observations:
-- During individual work, Penix linked with the following receivers: Kyle Pitts, London, McCloud, DJ Chark and Jesse Matthews. Typically a quarterback will throw two passes to a line of receivers on one side of the field before switching with the other quarterback and throwing to a second group of receivers. Penix was accurate during the period, especially on slants and quick outs. It's safe to assume Darnell Mooney would be in that mix were he on the field.
-- There have been a few off-target snaps from the offense so far in training camp, particularly a couple low ones by Ryan Neuzil Thursday. It's nothing that should cause major concern at this point in camp, but preseason games will be important for ironing out that part of the offense.
-- Penix wasn't the only quarterback who impressed at practice. Kirk Cousins was sharp with the second-team unit and connected with Chark on a deep crossing route for a touchdown in the high red zone. Near the very end of practice, Cousins made one of the best plays of the day. He lofted a rainbow pass to Casey Washington, which the second-year receiver hauled in against Natrone Brooks while falling to the turf. It was a nice moment of redemption for Washington, who couldn't bring in a deep pass earlier in camp after a double move against Terrell.
-- Easton Stick continues to throw a really nice ball and demonstrate comfort within this offense. Stick was one of the last players off the field Thursday as he stayed back to throw with a few receivers afterwards.
-- James Pearce Jr. has given Atlanta's second team offense problems in training camp, and that continued in the latest practice. On the starting defense's first rep of the team period, Pearce deflected a pass from Cousins — something he's done somewhat consistently. On the second play, he flushed Cousins from the pocket. Pearce looks right at home in a defense designed to attack and stress offensive lines by beating them off the line of scrimmage.
-- Cornerbacks Natrone Brooks and Lamar Jackson have been getting consistent work on the outside with the second team, and they've both had standout moments so far. A good series of preseason games could help them solidify spots as key reserves.
-- Dylan Drummond showed off some serious wheels on a tunnel screen. He caught the pass from Cousins on the left side before turning upfield and outrunning the defense to the end zone. Drummond was also back with Jamal Agnew as kick returner during a special teams drill.
-- David Sills V has been impressive in camp so far. He had a grab on the right side of the end zone during a red-zone period that looked to be a touchdown, but it was difficult to tell from the media's vantage point. In the absence of Darnell Mooney, Sills is a player who has stood out. He's also got a fan in Drake London, who said after practice that he used to watch highlights of Sills while he was still in high school.
What's next: The Falcons hold their sixth open practice Friday at IBM Performance Field.
Countdown to kickoff: There are 38 days until the Falcons' Week 1 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 7 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | See full schedule
