Penix's return revives Falcons' attack in rout of Packers - ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Michael Penix Jr. cried in the locker room before the Atlanta Falcons' last preseason game in August, according to Falcons safety Jessie Bates III. Penix was emotional because he knew he was not ready to return from left ACL surgery last November.

On Thursday, Penix finally came back and helped lead the Falcons to a stunning 35-14 rout of the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. In his first game since tearing his ACL in Week 11 last November, Penix was 18-of-25 for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Bates said Penix was «dying to get back.»

«I know how much it means to him,» Bates said. «I know how much he means to the locker room.»

Penix threw an interception on the first series but then settled down. By the second quarter, he was cruising. During the second and third quarters, Penix was 13-of-15 passing with a touchdown and 5-of-5 on third downs. The score came on a 5-yard pass to tight end Austin Hooper with 59 seconds left in the first half.

«Definitely after that interception, I started getting a rhythm, and everything started clicking,» Penix said.

As it has been in his first two seasons, Penix's favorite target was wide receiver Drake London, who had nine catches for a career-high 194 yards.

«He's the definition of resiliency,» London said of Penix.

The Falcons (1-2) struggled during the first two weeks of the season. With Penix not yet ready, Tua Tagovailoa was tabbed as the Week 1 starter. But Tagovailoa injured his oblique three days before the first game of the season and had to be spelled by third-string quarterback Cooper Rush.

Rush was also dealing with back spasms, and the Falcons' offense was nonexistent. They scored a combined 16 points over two games, the lowest mark in