The Atlanta Falcons got a glimpse at something at home on Sunday that the franchise has not seen since 2008: promising signs from a first-round quarterback. Now, the franchise has only taken two quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL draft since that 2008 class: Matt Ryan and Michael Penix Jr. Ryan is the franchise's best player in its history, a former MVP and possible Pro Football Hall of Famer who got perilously close to winning a Super Bowl.
Penix is a rookie who has played a single full NFL game and looked pretty darn good against one of the league's lesser defenses. Of course, one of these guys has a long way to go to catch up to the other in Atlanta sports history. However, you saw the spark.
Ryan's first pass was a touchdown to wide receiver Michael Jenkins. Penix's first pass was a dart to wideout Ray-Ray McCloud that he couldn't gain control of before it hit the turf. Ryan's first stat line: 161 yards, the touchdown.
Penix's first stat line: 202 yards and a wonky interception that wasn't his fault. They aren't exactly lined up, but Penix threw passes all afternoon that looked like high-level NFL quarterbacking. Even though he couldn't match Ryan's storied first play, he did more than enough to show what he's capable of.
Ryan is the player Penix will get compared to throughout the first years of his career, if only because he's the franchise's next great hope to bring it to the promised land. They're not the same quarterback, and Penix will forge his path in the .
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