Stefanski, Rees and Falcons ask too much of Penix and passing game in loss mired by 4 interceptions

ATLANTA (AP) — Coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and the Atlanta Falcons asked too much of Michael Penix Jr. against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sunday's 16-0 loss at Tampa Bay was played in a driving rain. The soggy conditions were best suited for a run-dominant plan, but Penix threw 24 passes while NFL rushing leader Bijan Robinson had only 19 carries.

Penix made poor decisions and at times appeared to have little control of his passes, badly missing an open Kyle Pitts on one. He completed only eight passes and threw four interceptions after entering the game with only one for the season.

“The conditions are what the conditions are,” Penix said after the game. "Both teams had to play in it. So, for us, knowing that the conditions are like that, as a quarterback, the leader, I’ve got to protect the ball. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to win these games, and I did a poor job of that today.”

By contrast, Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted only three passes and completed none. Tampa Bay's Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell each had more rushing attempts than Robinson, who ran for 76 yards.

While the Buccaneers set a team record by rushing for 324 yards, the Falcons' plan placed too much of a burden on Penix in the miserable conditions.

The interceptions were a dramatic departure from Penix's efficient performance in the 29-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers one week earlier. Penix had good protection and looked poised while completing 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Even though Penix was sacked five times and fumbled twice, losing one, in the Falcons’ 31-23 home loss to Chicago on Oct. 18, Penix had avoided interceptions before Sunday. He began the day with a streak of 144 passes without an interception.

“We’re (six) games into Mike this season and he’s done a very nice job taking care of the football,” Stefanski said Monday. “So obviously, there are factors to all of those. Can Mike play better? Of course, and he knows that and he will play better, but you’ll learn from it. That’s, again, tough conditions, but we all can be better.”

The Falcons were fortunate to trail only 9-0 at halftime thanks to a touchdown-saving play by safety Jessie Bates III, who punched the ball out of Irving's grasp as the running back neared the goal line in the first quarter. The loose ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.

Robinson still leads the NFL with 780 rushing yards, through Sunday's games, and yet the Falcons were unable to assert that strength on a day where conditions made throwing the ball difficult.

The Falcons were 0-for-12 on third down conversions. They held the ball less than 25 minutes and gained only 224 yards while being held to eight first downs, including five on runs.

Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. returns this week after he was suspended for the first eight games of the season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Pearce was arrested in February following a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson .

Stefanski said he will have a plan for Pearce in practice this week, but added it is too early to know how many snaps Pearce will play this week. Pearce led the Falcons with 10 1/2 sacks as a rookie last season.

Atlanta's run defense ranked fourth in the league with its average of 88.9 yards allowed per game before being overwhelmed by the Buccaneers' running game. The defense appeared to wear down in the second half.

Stefanski said the soggy turf was a factor in having too many missed tackles but added “Certainly we can tackle better. ... That's no excuse.”

Defensive end Samson Ebukam and wide receiver/return specialist Zachariah Branch will miss at least one game with hamstring injuries. Running back Brian Robinson, normally Bijan Robinson's top backup, was inactive against Tampa Bay with a hamstring injury, leaving his status in question for this week.

3 — The forced fumble was Bates' third of the season, one away from his career high of four with the Falcons in 2024. Bates has forced a fumble in three consecutive games.

The Falcons will play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Madrid. The team will fly to Madrid on Tuesday night.

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