Falcons have Big Penix Energy, but QB change may be too little, too late for Atlanta

For the first time since 2017, the Atlanta Falcons have won eight games in a season. One more would get them their first winning season since that campaign as well. Back in the win column for the second week in a row, the Dirty Birds are rising once again, albeit against two of the worst teams in football. Back-to-back wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are great, but so what?

The biggest and best thing about the Falcons' dominating 34-7 home victory over the Giants is that Michael Penix Jr. looked rather impressive in his first career start. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards and an interception that was not his fault. Thanks a lot, Kyle Pitts. Why is it always you? More importantly, the offense looked competent for the first time in weeks, as Atlanta is now 8-7.

The good news for the Falcons is they are still very much alive to make playoffs. The bad news is they probably need to win out, and need some help along the way as well. Atlanta has two more games left at the Washington Commanders before hosting the Carolina Panthers to finish the season. They also need the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose one more game than the Falcons down the stretch to get in.

Did the Falcons wait too long to make the quarterback switch from Kirk Cousins to Penix this season?

Atlanta Falcons might have pivoted to Michael Penix Jr. a bit too late...

With the Commanders pulling off a remarkable last-second win over the rival Philadelphia Eagles to improve to 10-5, Atlanta is now two games back of the final NFC Wild Card spot. Though they will have the opportunity to get the head-to-head win, that last-second victory is brutal when it comes to Atlanta's slim chance of getting in as a wild card team. They probably have to win the NFC South now.

Atlanta's two remaining games are at Washington and home vs. Carolina. Only Atlanta or Tampa Bay can win the NFC. The Buccaneers enter their Sunday Night Football date with the Dallas Cowboys at 8-6. Since Atlanta completed the season sweep of the Buccaneers, the Falcons would get in the playoffs over them if they finished with the same record. Tampa Bay has two more games in-division...

They might play on the road at Dallas on Sunday night, but the Buccaneers get both the Panthers and the New Orleans Saints at home. Carolina and New Orleans have already been eliminated from playoff contention. New Orleans' season from hell is starting to wind down. Who knows what direction the Saints are in? Carolina is starting to find its own under Dave Canales since going back to Bryce Young.

Overall, Atlanta faces the far more difficult final two games of the season than does Tampa Bay. The Falcons essentially need a non-playoff team to beat the Buccaneers down the stretch to get in. It would also require them getting a road win over an increasingly strong Washington team. This brings back the question of if Atlanta was too late to pivot to Penix over an increasingly frustrating Cousins.

Ultimately, it is what it is. Pivoting off Cousins was probably not possible until after the road debacle at Minnesota. Penix would have been able to beat the Raiders last week like Cousins did, so that is a moot point. Moving on to Penix after the Los Angeles Chargers meltdown would have been justified in hindsight, but even then it would have been a bit too premature. At least Atlanta can finally win now.

Atlanta's playoff hopes rely on beating Washington and Carolina, as well as Tampa Bay losing again...